


Let's Fall in Love for the Night

by shotgunkitten



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Mortal, Angst, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:34:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 130,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24884677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shotgunkitten/pseuds/shotgunkitten
Summary: Hilda Spellman once said that their meeting was fate. And while neither Sabrina Spellman nor Nicholas Scratch were sure if they believed in that kind of thing, they were sure of this: They never wanted to find out what their lives would be like without each other.
Relationships: Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 263
Kudos: 207





	1. Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> So ... it's been years since I last wrote fanfiction and this is my first fic for the Sabrina-verse in general and the Nabrina ship in particular. This was meant to be a one shot because I couldn't get the plot bunny out of my head that instantly appeared when I heard the song "Let's Fall in Love for the Night" by Finneas, which gave me _heavy_ Sabrina/Nick vibes.  
> But apparently I don't do one shots, so this will be split into several "chapters", so to speak. This will be a collection of loosely connected scenes that will make sense, though, you'll just have to trust me there :-)
> 
> If you want to jump right into the thick of things, you can skip this first part. I added it for some additional backstory, but the other chapters will still make sense without it.
> 
> All of that being said, English isn't my first language and this is unbeta-d, so please bear with me. If anyone wants to beta this, however, please send me a message! And since this is my first story in years, please comment and let me know what you think.
> 
> But now, without further stalling, here we go!

## Meetings

It had been a pretty normal day when Sabrina Spellman met Nicholas Scratch for the first time. A somewhat exhausted teacher had tried – and failed – to calm down her class of third graders when there was a knock on the door and Principle Stevens came in, followed by a dark-haired boy who looked around the room, seemingly trying to take everything in at once.

His eyes landed on her and Sabrina gave him a small smile, which he returned. After all, her aunt Hilda had taught her to be nice to everyone, even if her aunt Zelda didn’t really seem to agree with that.

“Sorry to interrupt, Miss Campbell, but I have a new student for your class. Everyone, this is Nicholas Scratch, he just moved to Greendale last week. Please welcome him into your class with the spirit of community and acceptance that is so important to us here.”

When he was met with an entire classes worth of quizzical looks, Principle Stevens looked at the teacher for help. Sabrina thought that she saw Miss Campbell roll her eyes, but she couldn’t be sure.

“I’ll take it from here, Principle Stevens, thank you,” she said, before looking at the child joining her class. “Welcome, Nicholas. Let’s find you a seat.” She scanned the classroom and spotted the empty seat next to Sabrina. Usually Roz would be sitting next to her, but she had caught chicken pox and a church gathering and wouldn’t be in school for at least a week. There was also room next to Billy Marlin, though, a skinny boy who cast his eyes down to his table and hoped not to be noticed. “You can sit next to Sabrina over there,” the teacher decided.

When Nicholas sat down, Sabrina held out her hand to him, like her aunties had taught her to. “Hi. I’m Sabrina Spellman. Nice to meet you,” she whispered since Miss Campbell had picked up where she left off when the principle interrupted.

He took her hand and shook it, never breaking eye contact. “Nicholas Scratch. But please, call me Nick. I only get called Nicholas when I’m in trouble.”

Sabrina smiled at that. “Nice to meet you, Nick.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” he said.

When he only pulled out a notebook and pencil case from his bag, Sabrina pushed her book to the middle of the table. “We can share,” she stated, not waiting for him to ask.

“Thanks,” he sent a grateful smile her way. His uncle didn’t have the time yet to get his books, which the boy didn’t blame him for, but that didn’t mean he wanted to talk about it.

Later, Sabrina invited Nick to join her and her friends Susie and Harvey for lunch, not really giving him a chance to say no when she was already dragging him along to show him around.

Over lunch, she learned that he moved to Greendale to live with his uncle, a man named Faustus Blackwood. Sabrina had seen him in town, but always thought that he looked like an odd, overgrown bat. She hoped that Nick wouldn’t turn out the same way.

In turn, she told him about living with her aunts Hilda and Zelda and her cousin Ambrose, who was already attending Middle School, because her parents had died when she was still a baby.

Nick didn’t say anything for a while and Susie was about to fill the awkward silence, when he decided to speak up after all. “My parents died when I was four. I was in a foster home the last few years, but then they found uncle Faustus. Or he found me.”

Sabrina furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head. He didn’t want to talk about it, even if he thought the blond girl next to him might understand. “Just something he said when he picked me up, not important.”

Sabrina looked at him, sure that there was more to it, but she dropped the subject because he looked uncomfortable. She decided to not dig deeper and changed the subject instead. “Okay. So, do you like books? I like scary stories. My aunt Hilda thinks I should read other things, but all she gives me is just so boring.” She rolled her eyes, but then a smile spread across her face. “My aunt Zelda always gets me the spooky books.” Sabrina leaned in, as if she was going to tell him a secret. “She even lets me watch scary movies with her when Hilda’s not home.”

Nick smiled as well, thankful for the distraction. He had a feeling that he would really like this girl. “I like books, a lot. I want to be a librarian later. Or write my own stories.” He watched the smile on her face grow wider. “My foster mum gave me all these lame stories about adventures in school, but I managed to sneak some spooky books home, too, when we visited the library. I like scary stories, too.”

“Oh great, now there’s two of them,” Harvey commented, clearly unhappy. He didn’t understand why Sabrina liked to be scared and having someone else around who also liked those things was not helping.

Sabrina and Nick looked at each other and shrugged, both grinning. “I think this is the beginning of a great friendship, Nick,” Sabrina stated.

Nick nodded. “I think you’re right.” Maybe moving to Greendale wouldn’t be so bad, after all.


	2. The boy that your boy hoped that you would avoid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First meetings are cute, but this is where the real fun begins. At least I hope you'll agree with me on that! (And see why that song inspired this fic)

## The boy that your boy hoped that you would avoid

_Let's fall in love for the night_  
_And forget in the mornin'_  
_Play me a song that you like_  
_You can bet I'll know every line_  
_I'm the boy that your boy hoped that you would avoid_  
_Don't waste your eyes on jealous guys, fuck that noise_  
_I know better than to call you mine_

“You know, I’m going to kiss you one day, Spellman, if you keep looking so damn cute in your cheerleader get-up,” Nick said, smirk in place as he was leaning against the locker next to hers in the hallway of Baxter High, taking in her cheerleading uniform. It was a match day and according to the cheer captain, it was good for school morale if they were seen in the uniforms all day. 

Sabrina had tried and failed to argue her case and had ranted to basically anyone who was willing to listen about it, but to no avail. But while everyone else had long forgotten about it – it had been at the beginning of Sophomore year, after all, and they were now well into the second half of their Junior year – Nick still loved to tease her about it. 

Sabrina raised an eyebrow, neither impressed nor scandalized by the statement. “That’s gonna be the same day pigs learn how to fly.” She put her biology book in the crammed space and pulled out her history book, shoving it into her bag probably slightly more forceful than was strictly necessary. 

“You wound me. Would it really be so bad?” He cocked his head to the side, trying to catch her gaze. She didn’t grant him the favor and hid behind the door of her locker. How did they even arrive at this point? The conversation had started innocently enough with them talking about plans for after the football match. But then again, this was Nick, who somehow managed to turn every conversation around to flirt like his life depended on it. 

Sabrina might even feel flattered if she didn’t know better. This behavior wasn’t reserved for her, so she didn’t put any stock in it and felt little remorse for shutting it down. This was part of their friendship – a weird thing that they had built over the years. And she knew deep down that while Nick was talking a big game, he wouldn’t act on his words if push came to shove. He valued their friendship as much as she did. 

“Considering that I have a boyfriend? Yes, Nick, it really would be that bad. Besides, why would you ruin a perfectly good friendship like that?” There was an edge to her voice, almost daring him to go on. Sabrina slammed her locker shut and adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with the French Revolution.” 

“Sounds like we’re going on a date together, then,” he quickly caught up with her and slung his arm around her shoulders, which Sabrina quickly shrugged off with an eyeroll. When she spotted Harvey down the hallway, she realized that she hadn’t been fast enough from the way his features darkened. 

“Thanks a lot, Scratch,” she said with a sigh. “Go ahead, I need to make a detour.” Sabrina didn’t want to give Harvey a whole class to stew over whatever thoughts were already brewing inside his head. He hated that she was friends with Nick, even if he didn’t exactly say it out loud. 

“Farmboy giving you trouble?” Nick asked, having spotted Harvey as well. 

“Stop calling him that. And this is your fault and you know it,” she declared, giving him a glare that would have shut Harvey up, but not the dark haired boy next of her. 

He shrugged. “He should learn to cope with the fact that you’re your own person and your life doesn’t orbit around him. Jealously is not a good look. He doesn’t own you.” 

“He’s got no reason to be jealous to begin with,” Sabrina countered. 

“Doesn’t stop him from acting the part, though,” Nick said. They had reached the door to their history class. “I’ll save you a seat, Spellman.” With that he vanished into the classroom and Sabrina took a deep breath before going to her boyfriend, who was still glaring daggers at the spot Nick had just occupied. Time to face the music. 

***** 

Sabrina was sitting on a log, a small content smile on her face as she listened to Theo, who was trying to make up a horror story on the fly and failing miserably. They had joined their classmates at a party in the woods, but quickly found themselves on the outlines, rather sitting around a fire and telling scary stories than drinking cheap beer and God knew what else their peers had dragged into the woods. 

“So, the couple in the car has no idea that they’re being watched, when they suddenly hear a scratching sound on the roof of the car,” Theo said, leaning forward. 

“Wait, how could someone get close enough to the car to make a noise on top of it without them noticing?” Roz asked, brow furrowed. 

“They were making out, they were preoccupied!” Theo threw his hands up, making Sabrina laugh. “So, they hear this really loud scratching sound and the girl pushes the guy away. He tries to calm her down and says it’s just a branch from the tree he parked the car under, but then the noise comes again and she tells him to go outside to check.” Theo paused for effect, the crackling of the burning wood and their hooting and laughing classmates in the distance the only sound for a moment. 

“Oh, come on. That’s the oldest story in the book. He goes out, the killer gets him, blood splatters everywhere and the girl starts screaming her head off before she kicks the bucket, too. Really, Theo? Where’s your imagination?” Nick plopped down on the log next to Sabrina, beer in hand. 

“Think you can do better, Scratch?” Sabrina asked, giving him a sideways glance. He was making himself comfortable next to her and looked content to not be at the center of the party but here with them, but she couldn’t help herself. “I thought you’d spend your evening over there, trying to get Dorcas drunk enough to go home with you. Again.” 

He shook his hand and took a long drink before answering. “Nah, pass. I’ll let Melvin try his luck. He’s been mooning over her way too long as it is. I hope she puts him out of his misery.” He nodded in the direction where he’d last seen Melvin trying to chat Dorcas up. 

Sabrina looked over and sure enough, she saw the redheaded girl put her hand on Melvin’s chest. “Well, looks like he wore her down,” she commented before looking at Nick again. “You didn’t answer my other question, though. Think you can do better than Theo? Then let’s hear it.” 

“The night’s still young,” he said, looking at Theo. “Sorry for interrupting. Go ahead, finish your story. It’ll be my turn eventually.” Theo picked up again and tried hard to steer his story into another direction than Nick had predicted. 

Once Theo was done, Roz started telling her own scary campfire tale, admittedly doing a better job than Theo at creating atmosphere. The talk of cracking branches, rustling in the underbrushes and whispers in the dark sent a shiver down Sabrina’s spine. 

She was so focused on Roz that she didn’t notice Nick move until he draped his black leather jacket over her shoulders. “You looked cold,” he explained when she sent him a questioning look. 

“Thanks,” Sabrina said, a small smile on her face as she pulled the too big jacket closer around her shoulders. 

“How are you doing?” He asked, taking her in. She looked tired, dark circles under her eyes that normally weren’t there. 

“I’m okay.” She shrugged, trying to avoid his eyes. 

“Spellman.” 

“Scratch.” 

“You know that you can talk to me, right?” 

She couldn’t stop the deep sigh that left her lips. “I know. It’s just … I don’t want to think about it, you know?” 

Harvey had broken up with her two weeks ago and the wound was still fresh. Their relationship had taken a nosedive after Harvey’s brother had died in a mine accident. Sabrina had tried her best to be there for Harvey, but he had shut her out. When she tried to get through to him one too many times, he exploded and told her he didn’t want her around anymore, how he needed to be alone to figure out his new reality and she was standing in the way. 

Nick had been her shoulder to cry on for the first couple of days – quite literally, because he had come over to the mortuary as soon as he heard from Roz what had happened. While she and Theo tried to split their time between comforting Sabrina and helping Harvey through his loss, Nick wasn’t pulled into two directions. 

He wordlessly had sat down next to Sabrina against the headboard of her bed, put his arm around her and just let her cry for the loss of her first boyfriend as well as the death of Tommy Kinkle, which had hit the whole town like a punch to the gut. 

When exhaustion had gotten the best of her, he had gently pulled off her signature headband, pushed her hair away from her face with his fingertips and pulled the covers over her, tucking her in. Nick hadn’t notice Sabrina’s aunt Hilda watch him through the cracked open door with a small smile on her face. Her heart ached for her niece, but just maybe something good would come from her broken heart, given enough time. 

“Kinkle will come around,” Nick said before taking another sip from his bottle. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth, even if he wouldn’t admit it, that he was desperate to wash down. 

“You think so?” Sabrina asked, inching closer and leaning her head on his shoulder. 

On instinct, Nick wrapped his arm loosely around her. “I know so. He loves you, Spellman. He just needs time to process everything.” 

“I hope you’re right.” She paused, biting her lip before continuing. “Thank you, Nick. For being there, for … well, everything.” 

“Anything for you, Spellman,” he replied, gazing down at the light blond hair that shone like silver in the moonlight, unwilling to admit to himself just how much he meant those words. 


	3. The Raven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I just wanted to add a quick thank you for the feedback to the first bits I posted. I was really nervous to put them online, so the warm words were very much appreciated!
> 
> The title for this chapter is borrowed from the wonderfully spooky work of Edgar Allan Poe. You'll see why.
> 
> All of that being said, I won't keep you any longer. Let me know what you think, feedback is always welcome!

## The Raven

When the worst thunderstorm in years had hit Greendale earlier that Friday evening, Sabrina Spellman knew exactly what to do: grab a few candles, turn off the electric lights and spend the night in bed to read a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic horror tales. That had been hours ago, but she was still engrossed in her book, currently soaking up the story of the Tell-Tale Heart. Salem was curled up next to her on the bed, purring as Sabrina absentmindedly scratched his head when she wasn’t turning a page. 

It was almost eleven o'clock when the sound of something small colliding with her window made her jump. She looked up, but couldn’t see anything except for the raindrops that had been smacking steadily against the windows for hours now. Was the noise just in her head? 

“Maybe I should stop after this one, Salem,” she mumbled, looking back at her book again. The noise came again, slightly louder this time. “What the hell …" Sabrina got up and went over to the window. She considered turning on the lights, but they would only reflect on the glass and effectively blind her to anything outside. "If this is a talking raven, you know what to do," the girl told her cat, who hadn't moved an inch but was looking at her, his head slightly tilted to the side.

When she reached the window and looked out, she saw a drenched figure standing outside, looking up. The porchlights had turned on from the movement, but it still took her a moment to realize who was down there and had been throwing pebbles at her window. Sabrina quickly opened the window. 

“Nick? What are you doing here? Wait, don’t answer that, I’ll be right down.” She thought she caught the flicker of relief on his face, but she didn’t stick around long enough to find out. He needed to get out of the rain, and quickly at that. 

Sabrina ran down the stairs, not bothering with the noise she made. 

“Sabrina? What the hell has gotten into you?” her Aunt Zelda asked when the teenage girl darted past the living room. 

“No time to explain, auntie!” Sabrina threw over her shoulder. She quickly reached the front door and opened it, revealing a dripping Nicholas Scratch on the other side, a small puddle already forming at his feet. 

“Hey Spellman,” he said, but his voice lacked his usual self-assurance. 

“Don’t ‘hey Spellman’ me. What are you doing outside in this weather? And why didn’t you just ring the doorbell or even knock? Come in,” she opened the door wider and stepped to the side, ushering him in. Once she had closed the door, she took another look at him. “Before you start talking, you need a change of clothes. I don’t want you catching a cold or aunt Zelda murdering you for ruining her afghan.” 

At the mention of her rug, Zelda appeared, her cigarette holder in hand. “Nicholas, what a surprise,” she said. She frowned at his state. “Sabrina is right, though, you’re in need of a change of clothes, and quickly. Sabrina -” 

“I’m basically already on my way to raid Ambrose’s closet, auntie Zee,” she interrupted. “Come on, Scratch, let’s get you out of those wet clothes.” The fact that there was no smart response worried her even more than him showing up in his current state and at this hour. 

“But leave the shoes down here, please, the rug on the stairs is a lot older than both of you combined and I intent to keep it intact,” Zelda added, eyeing the soaked boy in front of her. 

“Of course, Miss Spellman,” he mumbled and quickly kicked his shoes off before placing them next to the door and far away from Zelda’s precious afghan. 

Sabrina led him up the stairs and straight to her room. She grabbed a towel from her bathroom and handed it to him. “Here, I’ll be right back with dry clothes. And then you better tell me why you went out in the worst weather we’ve had in years. You could have gotten hurt, Nick!” She huffed and sent him a look that was equal parts annoyed and worried before leaving. 

He had barely rubbed his hair more or less dry when she reappeared with a t-shirt, what looked like folded up sweatpants and even a pair of socks. “These should fit, more or less. I hope,” Sabrina said, her brow furrowed as she wondered if her cousin and Nick actually were a similar size in regard to clothes. 

Nick took the bundle of dry clothes and set them down on the edge of the bathtub. “Thanks, Sabrina. I hope Ambrose doesn’t mind me borrowing his stuff.” 

“He’s out with Prudence, don’t worry about it. Besides, he’s your friend, so I doubt he’d mind even if he was here,” she answered. “Get changed, I’ll grab some hangers so we can put your things up to dry.” Sabrina closed the bathroom door behind her, not giving him a chance to answer. 

Nick sighed before starting to take off the cold, wet clothes that were clinging to his body uncomfortably, wringing them out over the bathtub for good measure. Apparently, Sabrina was mad at him – or, more likely, mad about the fact that he went out in the storm currently keeping everyone in their right mind at home. He couldn’t even blame her, he’d be mad at her, too, if she pulled something like that. 

When he was in Ambrose’s clothes, which fit well enough even if the shirt was a bit on the tight side, he opened the door again. Sabrina was sitting on her bed, idly scratching Salem’s head while she waited. She looked up when she heard the door open and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “I don’t think I’ve seen your hair that curly since we hit puberty and you discovered hair product,” she commented. 

He chuckled, raking his hand through his still moist hair, the curls already forming. “Don’t get used to it,” he warned. 

“Shame, I like it,” Sabrina countered before getting up again, grabbing the clothes hangers from behind her. 

She tried to squeeze past him into the bathroom, but Nick snatched the hangers from her. “You already got me dry clothes, I won’t let you do this, too,” he explained. 

“You make it sound like I was going to do your laundry.” Sabrina rolled her eyes good-naturedly, but didn’t argue her case further. She sat down on her bed again, tucking her legs underneath her. When Nick came back into her room, she looked at him expectantly. “So, now that that is taken care of – mind explaining why you decided this was a nice weather for a walk?” Sabrina nodded in the direction of her window, the rain still steadily hitting the glass. 

Nick couldn’t stop the sigh. He crossed the room and sat down next to her on the bed. “I got into a fight with my uncle. He hid a letter from me that arrived a couple of days after my birthday. It was from a notary, informing me that apparently, my parents had set aside a pretty substantial college fund for me when I was born and that I would get access to it once I turned 18 in case anything happened to them.” 

Sabrina furrowed her brow. “Why would he hide that from you?” 

His humorless laugh deepened her frown. “Looks like uncle Faustus already has a lawyer working on that thing, trying to find a loophole that would allow him to transfer the funds into his own account.” 

“What? That doesn’t make sense. The guy is like Scrooge McDuck, all he needs is a money bin!” 

Nick raised an eyebrow at her outburst. “Are you trying to defend him?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Of course not, don’t be stupid. I just don’t understand. He sits on your family estate and has more money than he could possibly spend in a lifetime. Why try to do that? And why hide that letter from you? That money came for your parents. You have a right to know that they cared for you, made plans to ensure you could live your life the way you wanted if they weren’t there to support you.” 

“That’s what I asked him, but he wouldn’t answer me. He tried to play it off as not important and told me to drop it.” Nick took a deep breath. “I didn’t. He tried giving me stupid excuses and to distract me, told me that the money would earn more interest if added to his pile and all that. But every time I asked him why he didn’t tell me, he changed the subject.” He was fiddling with his hands, nervous energy coursing through him. 

Sabrina grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before interlacing their fingers. It was a silent show of support and Nick saw the concern in the way she looked at him. “I feel like there’s still more. I know you, Nick. You wouldn’t have left this late if it didn’t get even worse than that,” she said. He didn’t run from his problems or fights, or at least not if he had any hope left to resolve the issue. 

“I kept asking why he hid the letter from me. He grew frustrated and I thought maybe he’d crack eventually. And I guess he kind of did. He threw at me that I was just as stubborn as my mother and that it had gotten her cut off from the family when she insisted on being with my dad instead of the guy my grandparents apparently had picked for her. And it looks like the money came from an aunt that had named my mum as sole heiress in her will, so my uncle feels entitled to it since it’s Blackwood money.” He paused and took another deep breath before continuing. 

“He went on one of his rants about my father, how he was working class and didn’t deserve my mother, how she was too good for him. I mean, I’ve heard it all before and it shouldn’t faze me anymore, but when he blamed dad for their deaths, I just snapped. I called him out on his snobbish attitude and told uncle Faustus that he’d never be the man my father was and how I hoped that I’d never end up bitter, manipulative, malicious and alone like him. I threw a lot of words at him. He tried to throw a punch after that – I'm okay, Spellman,” he interrupted himself when he saw her eyes roam over his face, looking for a sign of injury. “He missed. But I just grabbed my jacket and left after that. I didn’t really think about where I was going, to be honest, but after a while I ended up here.” 

Sabrina took in his slightly hunched shoulders and the way he cast his eyes down to their entangled hands again after telling her how he was alright. Physically he might be, but it didn’t take a genius to know that his mind was racing and emotionally, he was far from okay. She disentangled her hand from his, the action not going unnoticed. Before he could say anything, however, Sabrina wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling him into a hug as best as she could. 

Nick turned towards her and pulled her closer, allowing himself to just breathe for a moment, felt like this was the first time that night that he really could. He didn’t know what would happen when he got back to his uncle’s house, but just for a second, he didn’t care. That house wasn’t his home, despite having lived there for the bigger part of his life. The petite girl in his arms, however, was a different story. 

Sabrina understood him in a way nobody else could. Having lost their parents when they were both too young to really remember them gave them a connection from the start. When they were kids, they had stuck together, glad to no longer be the only odd one out when the parents of their classmates came in for career day or bake sales or even dances. 

That initial connection transformed into a deep understanding over the years that neither of them could really explain if you asked them. They were friends, of course, but their connection went a lot deeper than that. Sabrina’s aunt Hilda had once said that their meeting might have been fate. And while neither Sabrina nor Nick believed in that kind of thing, they both knew that they never wanted to find out what their lives would look like without the other one in it. 

Their friendship had caused problems in the past, especially when Sabrina and Harvey had started dating. While Susie, or rather, Theo, and Roz had become his friends as much as they were Sabrina’s, Harvey had always been not exactly hostile, but more or less always on edge when he was around. Nick found it amusing to rile the other guy up, which had earned him glares, reprimands and an elbow to the side on different occasions. 

But Sabrina had also been vocal in defending him in front of Harvey and told him in no uncertain terms that Nick was not going anywhere and Harvey needed to learn to deal with it. The memory brought a small smile to his face when he remembered 15-year-old Sabrina with her hands on her hips and a look on her face that screamed Zelda Spellman, telling Harvey to get a grip. 

She shifted slightly in his arms, getting more comfortable as she put her head on his shoulder and effectively pulling him back to the present. Nick leaned his head against her platinum blond hair and closed his eyes. The house he lived in might not be his home, but Sabrina definitely was. 

Neither of them knew how long they had been sitting there wrapped up in each other, but someone clearing their throat made them jump apart. 

“Sorry, loves, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Hilda said, pushing the door open with her foot. “When Zelds told me how you arrived here, Nicholas, I figured you might want to warm up a bit.” The door swung open and revealed a tray with two cups of hot chocolate and some cookies as Hilda walked into the room and set the tray down on Sabrina’s desk. 

Hilda had always liked Nick, but his flirty tone and sometimes devil-may-care attitude, especially towards girls, had made her a bit vary about him in recent years. However, he had earned a lot of points in her book with the way he had taken care of Sabrina after her breakup. If there was one thing that Hilda was now sure of it was the fact that Nicholas Scratch would never hurt her niece. She would even say that he loved Sabrina, even if he didn’t realize it. 

Nick smiled at the gesture. “Thank you, Miss Spellman.” 

“Don’t mention it,” Hilda said, shaking her head. She jumped slightly when thunder rolled especially loud, followed by lightning. “Well, that settles the question whether you’re staying here for the night. You’re not going out there again.” 

“That wasn’t even a question, auntie,” Sabrina agreed, sending Nick a look that almost dared him to disagree. 

He held his hands up in defeat. He wasn’t going to argue, preferring to be literally anywhere else than his uncle’s house right now. “Thanks for letting me stay,” he said, a small, grateful smile on his lips. 

“Don’t mention it.” Hilda paused a moment, mulling over her next words. Finally, she decided to just ask. “Are you alright, Nicholas? Did something happen?” It really was a stupid question at the end of the day, given what she had walked in on and Zelda’s description of a distraught looking boy making a puddle in the entrance area of their home. 

Nick looked at Sabrina, unsure what to say. A small nod helped him make a decision. “I got into another fight with my uncle, but this time there’s more to it. I still need to wrap my head around the whole thing, but maybe I could talk to you and your sister tomorrow morning?” It wouldn’t be the first time the Spellman sisters helped him to see things clearer. 

Hilda nodded, remembering several times Nick had sought refuge in their home when things got bad with his uncle. She had never really liked Faustus Blackwood in all the years she had known him, but the instances that brought his nephew to their door, asking if he could stay, hadn’t exactly helped to endear the man to her. “Of course, love. We’re here for you,” she assured him with a small smile that she hoped would put his mind at ease. 

“Thank you. That means a lot,” Nick said with the hit of a smile. He looked at Sabrina when she grabbed his hand again, giving it a soft squeeze. A silent reassurance that she was there for him as well. 

Hilda watched the silent exchange, suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of intruding. She looked at the clock on the wall. “Oh my, it’s almost midnight! You should drink the chocolate I brought and head to bed soon.” She paused, mulling over her next words. “Now, I know that I can trust the two of you, but I still want to point out that there is the option of you staying in our guest room, Nicholas. That air mattress you’ve slept on before has seen better days.” 

Hilda Spellman was well aware that the teenagers had shared a bed before and the air mattress had just been there for good measure, but she also felt like now was not the moment to tell them how she had walked in to wake Sabrina shortly after the breakup with Harvey and found her in Nick’s arms. She had given him credit for the fact that he had been on top of the blankets while her niece was under them. 

“I really don’t mind. I don’t want to cause you any trouble,” Nick answered, shaking his head. 

“It’s fine. I’ll get Nick set up,” Sabrina jumped in. 

“Alright, then. Sleep tight, don’t let the storm keep you up,” the older Spellman said. She closed the door behind her after a chorus of good nights and took a deep breath. She needed to make sure those two were up the next morning before Zelda decided to wake Sabrina. Hilda had a feeling that her sister wouldn’t be as lenient about a boy in their teenaged niece’s bed, even if she liked Nicholas better than Harvey. 

“Should we put the mattress up for good measure? You’re not sleeping on that ratty old thing, though,” Sabrina said. 

Nick chuckled. “I think your aunt might be onto us.” 

“What? I’m sure she would have said something,” she argued, her brow furrowed. Sabrina got up from her bed and grabbed the tray, placing it on the bed before grabbing one of the mugs. 

“She saw us once when I stayed over after Kinkle dumped you. But she probably doesn’t know that I know. I might have pretended to still be asleep when the door opened,” Nick confessed before grabbing his own mug and taking a big sip to hide his smile at Sabrina’s shocked face. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked, her eyes wide. 

“Because you had enough on your mind as it was. And your aunt obviously thought so, too,” he pointed out. He took one of the cookies and dipped it into his mug and relished in the rich taste when he took a bite. “That is amazing. Are those cookies homemade?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes at the question. “Aunt Hilda would be offended about you even asking that.” 

“Good point.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the sweet beverage and cookies. 

Finally, she broke the silence. “You realize that you need to do something about your uncle, right? This wasn’t the first time he tried to hit you. You’re just lucky he almost always missed so far.” It wasn’t the first time they were having this conversation, so Sabrina skipped carefully inching towards the topic. They were way past that. She had been up in arms and ready to crush Faustus Blackwood under the heel of her boot the first time she noticed a bruise on Nick’s arm when they were 12 and he confessed where he got it from. 

Nick nodded. “I know. That’s why I want to talk to your aunts tomorrow. Maybe they have an idea where to even start.” So far, he had dealt with his uncle because there was no other option, but the money that was apparently his changed things. 

“I’m sure aunt Zee will come up with something. She hates Blackwood’s guts ever since their fling or whatever it was ended. She’d help you even if she hated you, which she doesn’t, if it meant ruining his plans,” she made a face, still slightly questioning her aunt’s sanity for even going there. 

“Don’t remind me. I’m still weirded out by that. Why any woman would even consider touching him with anything less than a ten-foot pole is beyond me,” he agreed. 

Sabrina shuddered. “Can we please not talk about that? I can do without the nightmares.” 

Nick laughed at that. “Sure. You done?” He nodded at her mug. 

“Oh, yeah, I’m done.” 

He took it from her and placed the tray with the empty mugs back on the desk. “Your aunt was right, though, it’s really getting late.” 

Her answering yawn confirmed his words. “True. Alright, let’s call it a night.” She pulled back the covers. “Get in, Scratch.” 

“I should stay on top of the covers. Your aunt might trust us, but no need to test that theory,” Nick argued. 

“Don’t be stupid. It’s the middle of October, you’re gonna be cold.” Sabrina got under the covers herself, not bothering to wait for him. 

He looked at her, a fond smile on his face when she moved around, trying to get comfortable. Nick turned off the lights, the room now only bathed in the soft light of the candle Sabrina had placed on her nightstand. “What’s that about, anyway?” he asked, pointing at the candle. 

“I was reading Poe when you got here. Thought it would help with the atmosphere to have candlelight to go with the storm.” Sabrina waited until Nick got into bed before blowing out the candle. “And what can I say, it worked. You made me jump with that first stone to my window.” She turned around to face him, placing her cheek on her hand. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” She could see the sheepish look on his face. 

“It’s okay.” Sabrina started wiggling again, trying to find a comfortable position she could fall asleep in. 

After a few moments, Nick huffed a laugh. “Come here, Spellman. I learned by now that you’re a cuddler.” He opened his arms to her and Sabrina came willingly, putting her head on his shoulder and her arm around his waist when he pulled her closer. 

“Don’t pretend you don’t like it,” she mumbled into his shirt. 

“I have a pretty girl in my arms, what’s not to like?” he answered, yelping when she pinched him playfully in the side. 

“You might as well stop being an ass right there,” she warned, but he could hear the smile in her voice. 

A few moments passed in silence and Nick started drawing soft, soothing circles on her back without even noticing it. He thought Sabrina had fallen asleep when she spoke up again. “Nick?” 

“Hm?” 

“Why didn’t you just ring the doorbell when you got here?” She asked, sounding like she was well on her way to sleep. 

“To be honest, I have no idea. I wasn’t thinking straight. And when I saw the light up here, it seemed like a good idea at the time,” he answered. Thinking about it now, throwing pebbles at her window really was ridiculous. 

“You’re a weird one, Scratch,” Sabrina mumbled, nestling deeper into his embrace. 

“So are you. Goodnight, Spellman.” Nick pressed a soft kiss to her hair, earning a content sigh in return. 

“Goodnight, Nick,” her response was muffled and he could feel her lips move through the fabric of his shirt. He felt and heard her breathing even out and let the steady rhythm calm him down. Nick felt Salem jump on the bed and curling up at their feet, not bothered by the additional human under the covers. Closing his eyes, he pushed away the fleeting thought that he could get used to this and willed himself to sleep. 


	4. Blind Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> To keep this short, I just wanted to thank your guys again for reading, commenting and leaving kudos - those things work wonders for writing motivation.
> 
> After today's news that part 4 will be the end of CAOS, I feel like we all need a little pick-me-up - I hope this serves that purpose at least a little bit (even if we should probably crown Nick the king of Egypt afterwards - please forgive me for the bad pun but you'll see what I mean soon enough). 
> 
> Let me know what you think!

## Blind Faith

It wasn’t that Sabrina didn’t trust Nick. On the contrary, she would put her life in his hands without even thinking twice. But stumbling through the woods on her birthday with a blindfold on still wasn’t exactly on her list of priorities. Even if he was there to make sure nothing happened to her.

“How much longer do I have to keep this thing on?” she asked. 

“You sound like you’re turning eight, not eighteen,” Nick answered without really answering. 

“I’m sorry, have we met? You know that I hate not knowing what’s going on,” Sabrina said, clinging to his arm a little more when she stepped on a what she would guess was a pine cone and slightly wobbled in her step. 

Nick stopped her. “Okay, this isn’t working. I know when to admit that an idea was stupid and I don’t want you breaking your neck.” 

“So I can take the blindfold off?” She asked, her hopeful tone making him laugh. 

“No, the blindfold stays on. But I’m giving you a piggyback ride. It’s faster and you’re not in danger of killing yourself,” he responded, smiling when she huffed and crossed her arms. 

“You want to carry me through the woods? You’re officially insane,” Sabrina stated. “Besides, how can you be sure that I won’t just take the blindfold off when you can’t see me?” 

“I’m sure because I trust you. And you wouldn’t betray my trust like that, right?” He knew it as a cheap shot and bit his lip to keep himself from laughing when she pursed her lips. 

“You’re playing dirty.” 

“Yes.” 

“I hate you.” 

“No, you don’t.” 

Sabrina paused for a moment, then sighed. “No, I don’t. Would make things a lot easier if I did, though. Fine, I’ll let you manhandle me.” 

He snorted. “That’s not what this is and you know it.” Nick moved in front of her. “Alright, come on. Let’s get going.” He crouched down in front of her and took one of her hands to show her where he was. 

Sabrina’s hands slid over his back, trying to find his shoulders. It took some fumbling, but when Sabrina was secure on his back, her arms around his neck for additional support, he started walking. It wasn’t far, but he had to admit to himself that he hadn’t thought the blindfold through completely. Having her stumbling through the woods blindly hadn’t been one of his best ideas. 

A few minutes later, Nick stopped. “Okay, we’re here. I’m going to let you get down now,” he said, already crouching down. When she stood on her own two feet again, he walked behind her. “I’m going to take the blindfold off,” he explained, just to ensure her what he was doing since she couldn’t see. He was well aware that she put a lot of trust in him by coming with him like she had. 

Sabrina blinked a few times when she opened her eyes again, trying to adjust to the light. “What …" she gasped, but was interrupted by a chorus of “Surprise!”, “Happy Birthday” and laughter from her family and closest friends, all more or less dressed up for Halloween. After a few moments of stunned silence, she turned around and looked at Nick, her eyes wide still wide. 

He smiled, that kind of smile Sabrina had learned long ago was reserved for her. “Happy Birthday, Spellman,” he said, pleased that he managed to keep this little party a secret. “I know you said you didn’t want a party this year, but …" 

She didn’t let him finish the though, instead wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug which he returned. “Thank you so much, Nick,” Sabrina whispered, her voice raw with emotion. 

He rubbed her back soothingly. “I can’t take all the credit. Your aunts helped set this up while I distracted you,” Nick explained, smiling down at her when she looked at him, her eyes shining with what he hoped were happy tears. 

“So that’s what that trip to the Paramount was about.” After Sabrina had declared that she didn’t want a party to celebrate her 18th birthday, Nick had suddenly insisted that they should at least dress up in Halloween costumes and catch the horror feature they were playing. 

She had quickly thrown together a witch costume while Nick had borrowed one of Cee’s vampire capes. Sabrina had insisted that they’d at least put some fake blood on him. The childlike joy on her face when she got to apply it had been worth the weird feeling of the liquid slowly drying on his skin. 

“I had to get you out of here somehow. I knew a horror movie on Halloween would do the trick,” he reasoned. 

Sabrina only realized now that they were in fact in the backyard of the Spellman Mortuary. “We walked in a circle,” she stated, finally letting go of him. “You tricked me.” 

Nick’s answering smirk made her roll her eyes. “And it worked. Perfectly, if I might add. You should probably go greet your guests, though,” he suggested, nodding in the direction of the small crowd of people that had gathered but that meant so much to her. 

“We’ll continue this later. Don’t think you’re off the hook yet,” Sabrina threatened. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he shook his head and watched with a smile as Sabrina pulled her aunts into a tight embrace which Hilda fully returned while Zelda looked just the slightest bit uncomfortable before the girl with the moonlight colored hair moved on to her cousin. The smile on his face grew bigger when Theo and Roz enveloped Sabrina in a group hug and didn’t let go, laughing happily. Notably missing was Harvey, who had been invited since he and Sabrina were friendly enough, but there was some awkwardness involved more times than not. Nick gave the other guy some credit for being sensible enough to decide to not show up in order to make things easier. 

Nick hadn’t noticed Ambrose approach and started when he spoke. “Tell me, Scratch … how long have you been in love with my cousin?” He asked, one eyebrow raised. 

Nick’s brow furrowed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Ambrose chuckled. “Please. Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you looked at her just now. Plus, all this? I know that it was your idea. The aunties might have helped you pull it off, but you were the mastermind behind it all.” 

“I just didn’t want her to regret not celebrating her birthday this year, that’s all. For as long as I’ve known her, having a birthday party was always important to her,” the younger man argued. 

“Believe me, I’m aware. I’ve been subjected to a lot more party planning by Sabrina over the years than you have,” Ambrose said. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen the two of you the last couple of weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I approve, but you need to do something about it.” 

Nick shook his head. “Whatever you think you saw, it’s not there.” 

The only male member of the Spellman family raised an eyebrow. “So … I didn’t catch you cuddling while watching Rosemary’s Baby the other night?” 

“We’ve watched movies like that a million times. It was nothing.” Nick had to admit to himself that from an outside perspective, it could potentially look like there was more between him and Sabrina when Ambrose had walked in on them in the living room, Sabrina leaning against him, her head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her. But he wasn’t going to admit that to her cousin. 

“Of course. And I also haven’t seen both of you sneak out of each other's bedrooms early in the morning when you thought everyone was still asleep.” Ambrose had seen Sabrina just the day before and Nick a few days earlier when he had snuck into the mortuary after spending the night with Prudence. 

After his surprise visit on the night of the storm and the talk with the Spellman sisters in the morning, Zelda had almost demanded that Nick should not go back to his uncle's house for anything but packing up his things. She had pointed out that at 18, Nick could live wherever he wanted and his uncle had no say in that anymore. 

When Nick pointed out that he had nowhere else to go, she had scoffed. _“_ _Of course_ _you do, Nicholas, don’t be ridiculous. We have that guestroom we never use. You can move here for the time being”_ , she had stated. And after some more arguing and Sabrina declaring that yes, she was okay with it, Nick had moved into the spare room at the mortuary. He was aware that the main motivation that drove Zelda Spellman to offering the room was her distaste for his uncle and the urge to spite him, but he wasn’t going to question it. Not when the alternative was going back to that depressing place or sleep under a bridge. 

That had been almost three weeks ago and despite the occasional dead body in the basement, the house felt more like home and the Spellmans more like family than anything he had experienced living with his uncle in the last ten years. There were rules, of course, now that he wasn’t just staying for a night, but Sabrina wouldn’t be Sabrina if she didn’t break them – or made him break them. 

“Are you spying on us? That’s creepy, man,” Nick said, trying to deflect what Ambrose was insinuating. “Besides, we talked and at some point fell asleep. Nothing happened,” he clarified. 

“Your reputation would suggest otherwise,” Ambrose pushed. 

While it was true that in his Sophomore and the beginning of Junior Year, Nick had gotten a reputation for picking up girls, he felt like it was greatly exaggerated. Plus, he’d dialed back on the girls and focused more on school over the last few months, his plan being to get accepted to a good college so he could get away from his uncle. “That reputation is mostly bullshit and you know it,” Nick said. “Besides, even if it wasn’t, I’d never do that to Sabrina. She’s my best friend. I’d never do anything to hurt her. She’s way too important to me.” 

“So when all of us went to Dorian’s the other night, that was not you staking your claim on the dancefloor? You always dance this close with your friends? You’ve been holding out on the rest of us.” Ambrose smirked, fully aware what he had seen. Nick had held Sabrina close and she had her arms wrapped around him just the same as they swayed to a slower song and Ambrose had seen his cousin laugh like she hadn’t in months when Scratch twirled her out and them back into his arms to an upbeat number. Her eyes had sparkled with joy when she looked at him and he had watched her move like she hung the stars in the sky, just like he had earlier. 

Nick took a deep breath. “Look, Ambrose. Whatever you think might happen isn’t going to. We’re friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be. She’s still holding out for Kinkle to get his head back on straight, so it doesn’t matter what you think you saw. It doesn’t matter what a small part of me with slightly misguided feelings might have hoped for before they started dating.” The bitter taste in his mouth that always appeared when he talked about Sabrina and Harvey came back. 

“You’re not denying it anymore,” Ambrose noted, growing somber. What had started as teasing just a bit had become something entirely different. 

“I’d lie if I said that I didn’t love Sabrina. She’s been the most important person in my life for years, maybe even since she grabbed my hand and dragged me along the first day we met. Of course I love her.” Nick looked over and saw her talking to her aunt Hilda, who was pointing towards the birthday cake she had made. “I’ll always be by her side, whatever she needs. But what you insinuated – that's not going to be us. That’s not what she wants.” 

“Dear God, you really do love her,” Ambrose mumbled. “But what about what you want?” 

“I want Sabrina in my life. She’s never going to see me as anything but a friend and I’m okay with that. I made my peace with that years ago. When I thought there could be more … I was a stupid, hormonal 15-year-old who saw things that weren’t there and she can never know about that. The bond we have is too valuable to just throw caution to the wind and hope that she doesn’t jump to conclusions and thinks I just pretended to be her friend to get close to her.” Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. He hadn’t meant to say those things, had pushed the complicated emotions away and locked them in a box deep inside long ago. But Ambrose had succeeded in bringing them back to the surface with his nagging. 

Before Ambrose could answer, Sabrina called. “Get over here, I’m gonna cut the cake!” 

Nick nodded in her direction. “You heard her, let’s go.” He was glad for the distraction and to escape the conversation that had gotten a little too intense for his liking. He didn’t want to think about the possibility of Ambrose telling Sabrina about any part of it, either. 

Ambrose looked after Nick for a moment, deep in thought. He had meant to tease the other guy, but now he was faced with an entirely different situation: Two people who obviously loved each other but didn’t see it or were lost in the deep, dark woods of denial, living under the same roof for the time being. He watched Nick slap a smile on his face as he approached Sabrina, who was saying something he couldn’t hear and waving the knife in her hand in Nick’s direction, a smile on her face as well. He needed to do something about those two, and soon. Unlike Nick, Ambrose wasn’t so sure that Sabrina was still waiting for Harvey to come around. 

“Ambrose! Come on!” Sabrina called, looking at him expectantly. 

“Hold your horses, cousin,” he answered. “Give the girl a knife and she thinks she’s in charge.” 

“I don’t need a knife to know that I’m calling the shots,” she replied, a smirk on her face. Sabrina looked at the people surrounding her. “Thank you for being here, for doing this and keeping it a secret.” Her eyes landed on Nick. “For sometimes knowing me better than I know myself.” She smiled when he held her gaze for a moment before looking down. Sabrina wasn’t sure if she was imagining things, but she thought she saw the tiniest bit of a blush sneaking across his features. “This has been the best surprise.” 

Hilda had lit the candles while Sabrina spoke and looked at her niece with a proud smile on her face. Where did the little girl go that she and Zelda had raised? She had been replaced by the wonderful young woman standing in their middle. “Blow out the candles and make a wish, love,” she urged. 

Sabrina put the knife on the table again. “Okay, this doesn’t get any easier with the numbers of candles going up, but I’ll do my best.” 

“Which is why I informed all of you not to bother with candles on my cakes,” Zelda said. “No need to drive the point home that none of us are getting any younger.” 

Ambrose laughed. “You are ageless, Auntie Zee, no matter the potential number of candles.” 

“But we’re still not gonna put any candles on your cake, don’t worry,” Sabrina interjected before her aunt could get any wrong ideas. “Okay. Here we go.” She closed her eyes and made her wish before taking a deep breath and blowing out the candles. When they were all out, she looked at the cake for a moment, holding her breath. When they didn’t turn back on, she smiled at her cousin. “So you didn’t get your hands on the cake, good.” 

“That was once. I once replaced those candles with the kind that turns back on and I hear about it for the rest of my life,” Ambrose complained, earning a laugh. 

“What did you wish for, Brina?” Theo asked. 

She shook her head. “I’m not telling. You know the deal – it won’t come true if I say it.” Sabrina looked at the cake her aunt had made again, a monstrosity with several layers that would last them for the next few days as well because Hilda Spellman didn’t do subtle when it came to baked goods. “Now, who wants cake?” 

+++ 

Several hours later, long after her aunts had retired, Sabrina hugged her friends goodbye after they helped her and Nick clean up. 

Ambrose had vanished a while ago, probably to meet Prudence. Sabrina wouldn’t have minded her, Agatha and Dorcas at the party – Prudence was different when she was with her cousin. Then again, she and her sisters had thankfully – at least mostly - stopped tormenting her in their sophomore year and switched to teasing, which she could deal with. 

But having just the people closest to her at the mortuary tonight had been great, too. The only person missing had been Harvey – who declined the invitation, as Roz had told her. Sabrina appreciated that Nick had tried. She however also understood that Harvey had preferred not to show up, things were still awkward between them. It had been almost five months since their breakup and Sabrina was slowly getting used to the idea that they weren’t going to get back together after all. 

However, she still missed Harvey. They had been friends long before they started dating and she hated that she couldn’t help him through his loss at least in that capacity. He kept her at arm’s length and she understood why, but that didn’t make it sting any less when she saw him acting more or less normal around Theo and Roz and the atmosphere shifting to something awkward and slightly stiff when she joined them. It was weird for those two, as well, being somehow stuck in the middle although there weren’t exactly two sides. 

Sabrina shook her head. She didn’t want to think about this any longer, not tonight. Not after having the best birthday party she didn’t even know she wanted. She looked at Nick, who was closing the dishwasher after putting the last few glasses in while she had put the leftover food in the fridge. When she had thanked her aunts earlier, they had told her that yes, they had been involved in the planning and execution of the party, but that the idea been his. 

Nick turned around, stifling a yawn. “I think we’re done cleaning up for now. The garden furniture can wait until tomorrow.” 

“Oh, definitely. We’ll get Ambrose to help us with that,” she agreed, taking him in. 

Nick’s hair was slightly disheveled and that might have been her fault. After a while, the furniture had been moved to the side at her suggestion to create a dance floor. At some point, Nick had twirled her around even if it didn’t fit the song. She had spotted Ambrose elegantly spinning their aunt Hilda while Zelda stood to the side, her faithful smoking stick in hand, and Cee watching with a fond smile as well. Sabrina had been distracted, so she crashed a little too hard into Nick, grabbing onto him in order not to trip over her own feet. When he laughed at her, she narrowed her eyes and ruffled his hair, making him laugh even more before picking up where they had left off. 

“He’ll love that.” 

“He’ll grumble, but he’ll still do it.” 

“And he won’t let us forget anytime soon.” 

Sabrina shrugged. “He looked like he had fun tonight, so I’ll just remind him of that.” She moved across the room and leaned against the kitchen counter next to him. “So did I, by the way. Thank you, again. Tonight was perfect. And before you say anything, aunt Hilda told me that it was your idea. I’ll even forgive your little white lie.” 

Nick smiled. “That lie was entirely justified. I couldn’t let you not celebrate your birthday. For as long as I’ve known you, you always had a party and 18 is a big deal. You would have regretted it down the line.” 

“True. And that right there is what I meant earlier. You sometimes really know me better than I know myself.” She looked up at him, a small, happy smile on her face. 

He didn’t even think about it when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. “That goes both ways. I’ve lost count of the times you’ve been there for me and knew just what to say or do when I felt lost.” 

Sabrina leaned her head against his shoulder, a content sigh leaving her lips. “Maybe aunt Hilda was right after all.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Remember when she said us meeting was fate?” 

He chuckled. “I remember you telling her that maybe she should stop reading horoscopes if she started believing in these things.” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I was a fourteen-year-old brat. But seriously. She had a point. More often than not, it feels like you’re … I don’t know. My other half? I feel like I can take on the world, do anything or reach any goal as long as you’re with me.” 

Nick pulled her in front of him, looking into her dark orbs. “I feel the same way. No matter what happens, I know things are going to be okay as long as you’re by my side.” 

She put her arms around his neck and he, almost on autopilot, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I’ll always be there, Nick. I love you, you know that, right?” 

He closed his eyes at her words and pulled her the slightest bit closer. “I love you, too, Spellman,” Nick answered. He meant it, although she’d never find out how the tiniest part of him might have meant those words in a sense that went way beyond friendship at one point. “And I’ll always be there, too. No matter what you need.” 


	5. Just a Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate the feedback and how happy I am that you like this litte story. 
> 
> Just a little heads-up: After this, there will be one more part during their high school years, then we'll move on.
> 
> Now I hope you enjoy Ambrose scheming and roping Hilda into helping. What could possibly go wrong?
> 
> Let me know what you think!

## Just a Kiss

Hilda was in the kitchen, preparing everything to start making sugar canes, because why buy them when they could have homemade ones instead, when Ambrose walked in. She knew the look on his face the second she spied him: his eyes twinkling with mischief and a small smile that screamed trouble. He was up to something.

“Auntie, do you have a moment? I need your opinion on a matter.” He sat down at the kitchen table, lounging in his chair.

“Of course, love, what is it?” She put the measuring cup down on the counter to give her nephew her full attention.

“Let’s say, theoretically, you know about a guy who likes a girl a bit more than he thinks he should  and than he is willing to admit, even to himself, since he is convinced that the girl only sees him as a friend. However, _ you _ know that said girl would do anything for that guy and is just blind to what’s in front of her, meaning that her friendship is a lot more than that as well and she just doesn’t realize it. And you have been watching them dance around each other for years because the girl had another boyfriend, who is out of the picture now. Would you agree that those two might just need a little nudge in the right direction from a well-meaning third party?”

“That third party being you, no doubt,” Hilda concluded. “What are you planning on doing to Sabrina  and Nicholas?” It didn’t take a genius to see who he was talking about and Hilda herself had wondered time and again how those two didn’t see what was right in front of them.

“Now, I just want to point out that I did not mention any names,” Ambrose held up his hands, smirking.  So it was  definitely not just him who saw it. That would make things a lot easier.

Hilda rolled her eyes. “I’m not blind, Ambrose. I’ve been there throughout the years as well. And more recently I saw how Nicholas took care of Sabrina after Harvey broke her little heart and how she took care of him when his dreadful uncle tried to steal his inheritance. I was hoping that, given enough time, they might find their way to each other. But you can’t force their hand.”

He shook his head. “I’m not forcing anybody to do anything. I just figured that a certain bit of Christmas cheer might help speed things along.” He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a mistletoe. 

“Sabrina will skin you alive if you manage to get her and Nicholas under one of those,” his aunt informed him. 

Ambrose shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe she’ll thank me later. The real question is, auntie: Will you help me hide these little helpers around the house or do I have to do it alone?” He jiggled the mistletoe in front of him.

Hilda considered her options. Ambrose had his mind set on pushing Sabrina and Nicholas together in a way the romantic in her couldn’t argue with. But she also worried about what would happen if his plan failed and those two didn’t end up as a couple after his little stunt. She didn’t want either of them to get hurt or things to get weird between them afterwards. And not just because it would make life for everyone at the mortuary uncomfortable.

Nick would stay with them until the end of the school year. The Spellman sisters had agreed that he didn’t need to worry about finding a place and fending for himself while also worrying about finals and college applications. He had argued at first, not wanting to overstay his welcome or come across as taking advantage of their hospitality, but to Hilda’s surprise, her sister had shut him down before she got the chance. Nick had, however, negotiated that they let him pay for a share of the groceries at least, arguing that he’d feel guilty and uncomfortable otherwise. 

Things had calmed down at the mortuary after that, but of course Hilda had also noticed how close the teenagers were, even more so now that they were living under the same roof. How they always subconsciously drifted towards each other. The way they shared secret little smiles when they thought nobody noticed. How they joked with each other. How Sabrina regularly stole some of the food from Nick’s plate at breakfast, him returning the favor every so often at dinner and the way neither commented on it, instead pushing their respective plates closer to the thief. Hilda made her decision.

“Fine, I’ll help,” she started, holding up her hand to shush Ambrose, “But you will not push them. You will not do anything to lure them under one of the mistletoes or alert them if they happen to stand under one. Putting them up will be all the nudging in the right direction we’ll do, the rest is up to them.”

“But where is the fun in that?” Ambrose asked. He had looked forward to pointing out their situation to them.

“Ambrose.” She sent him a warning glance.

“Fine. No making fun of the  two blind people in this house.” He stood and put the mistletoe on the counter. “I’ll get a few more of those so we can put them up the next time they are out.”

When he walked by the living room, he saw the teenagers who had no idea what lay ahead sitting on the couch, watching a movie. Nick’s arm was around Sabrina, her head on his shoulder and his propped against hers. Ambrose saw his cousin shaking with silent laughter at whatever Scratch had whispered in her ear while pointing at the TV with his free hand.

“Sure, you’re just friends. Who’s supposed to believe that?” Ambrose muttered under his breath, mentally raising the number of  mistletoe he’d put up everywhere in the entire house. He’d make sure those two ended up under one of them, even if it was the last thing he did.

*********   


“AMBROSE!” Sabrina’s voice rang throughout the mortuary a few days later as she screamed for her cousin.

The man in question walked into the living room a few moments later, an innocent look on his face. He knew exactly what she was screaming about. “Yes, cousin?” 

He took in the scene in front of him. Sabrina and Nick had obviously been watching another one of the Christmas themed horror movies she insisted on watching to get into the holiday spirit. On the table in front of them was red and green colored popcorn and what he guessed was hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. While, judging from the look on her face, Sabrina was obviously already well on her way to ripping his head off, Nick was still eyeing the mistletoe over their heads as if it had personally offended him.

Sabrina pointed over her head where a mistletoe dangled from a festive red ribbon that had been tied to one of the ceiling beams. “What is this?” 

“I believe that is a mistletoe, Sabrina,” Ambrose answered, trying to keep a straight face. Which was getting increasingly harder with the way she was glaring at him.

“Let me rephrase. Why the hell is a mistletoe hanging over the couch?” She had spotted it when she curled up against Nick, his arm wrapped tightly around her like always when it was just the two of them. Sabrina had just gotten comfortable when she noticed something green from the corner of her eye.

He couldn’t stop the grin anymore. “Well, I guess someone must have put it there.”

Her eyes narrowed further. “I wonder who that someone is.”

“Maybe I did it, maybe I didn’t.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. As if one of the aunties would put mistletoe up, especially hang one over the couch.”

He had a smug smile on his face. “Well then, guilty as charged.” When he saw her huff, he shrugged. “What? It is a Christmas tradition.”

“I can’t believe you, why would you even … ugh!” She threw her hands up and Nick had to lean back slightly to avoid getting hit.

“Well, I did originally plan to catch Prudence under that particular one, but this works just as well,” Ambrose answered, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Hilda’s warning not the interfere still rang in his ears, so he figured a little lie wouldn’t hurt anybody. Besides, the location of the offending mistletoe hadn’t even been his idea but Hilda’s, but Sabrina didn’t need to know that. Although that also meant his aunt didn’t have a leg to stand on.

Sabrina crossed her arms as well. “Oh, really? You never sit here. Never.” 

Hilda, who had been in the kitchen decorating sugar cookies, had been attracted by Sabrina’s yelling, but stopped outside the living room when she realized what was happening. She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling, just in case her less than amused niece saw her.

“Maybe I wanted to change that?” Ambrose raised his eyebrow, the smug look still plastered on his face. 

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Sabrina replied, causing Ambrose to laugh and Nick to chuckle. 

“Has the thought of kissing dear Nick here riled you up so much that you resort to swearing, cousin?” It was a challenge and everyone listening was aware of that. The only question was whether Sabrina would take the bait. Hilda wanted to smack Ambrose with the dish towel in her hands. She had told him not to interfere for a reason.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not riled up, I’m annoyed. This is stupid.”

Nick put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. “Relax, Spellman. Just ignore it and let Ambrose lure his girlfriend under the mistletoe later on.” He sent a warning look at the other guy, knowing fully well what was going on. 

Ever since their talk on Sabrina’s birthday, Ambrose had sent Nick knowing glances or raised his eyebrow as if to say  _ “see?” _ when he deemed an interaction more than friendly. 

“Now, ignoring that little bugger would not be a good idea. You know that it’s bad luck for a woman not to kiss a man under a mistletoe if they happen to be caught underneath one,” Ambrose pointed out, earning glares from both of them. Behind him, Hilda made a promise to herself to hit her nephew upside the head later.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “That’s just another way patriarchy oppressed  women in the past and you know it.”

“Then why are you so worked up over this,  cousin? Are you scared?”

Nick was rubbing soothing circles on Sabrina’s shoulder and felt her relax into his touch the slightest bit. He really wished Ambrose would drop it instead of antagonizing his cousin further. The wheels in Sabrina’s head were already turning, he could tell. However, that last question had been a good one. Why was she so annoyed about the mistletoe over their heads? They could have just rolled their eyes and ignored the damn thing.

“You know what? Fine.” Sabrina’s words brought him back to reality so fast he felt like he was getting whiplash.

“What now?” Nick raised his eyebrows at her change of mind, quietly cursing Ambrose for not letting them be.

She turned around and looked at him, determination shining in her dark eyes. Ambrose had managed to appeal to her stubborn streak. “It’s not a big deal, right? It’s just a kiss. Nothing to be scared of.”

“Sabrina, we don’t have to do this,” Nick tried, but to no avail.

“I remember you talking a big game in school on multiple occasions about kissing me. Are you chickening out, Scratch?” She tried the same tactic Ambrose had used without even realizing it.

He shook his head. “I was just messing with you, you know that, right? Seriously, Spellman, let’s just forget about the dumb thing and get back to our movie.” A teenage girl screamed on the screen as she was faced with the killer and she ran, stumbling and falling on the stairs. He’d seen the movie before – a minute later, she would be added to the list of casualties.

“No. I’m not giving Ambrose the satisfaction of calling us cowards for the next decade,” she replied. “So … are you chickening out or not?”

He sighed, silently cursing Ambrose a second time. This was not how he had imagined kissing Sabrina – not that he had really entertained that idea in years. They had kissed once in eight  grade at an ill-fated game of truth or dare at his own birthday party. Agatha had dared him to kiss Sabrina and he’d done it, apologizing to her later what felt like a million times for stealing her first kiss like that. She had not talked to him for a week after that and it was easily one of the worst weeks of his life. Nick had always regretted going through with the dare, especially when he thought there might be a chance for more between them. He had pondered a do-over of their first kiss, but then she had started dating Harvey and Nick had buried those thoughts deep down.

“It’s just a kiss, right?” A voice screamed in the back of his mind that this was a stupid idea, but the words were already out of his mouth.

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal.”

Ambrose looked over his shoulder at Hilda with a shit-eating grin. She had snuck closer during their exchange. However, Sabrina and Nick didn’t notice. 

“You sure about this, Spellman?” He asked, giving her another out.

Sabrina nodded. “I’m sure.” Then she leaned in  and pressed her lips to his.

Nick had expected a quick peck to get this over with, but something shifted between them the second their lips touched. Sabrina must have felt it, too, because she didn’t pull away, either. Neither of them was sure who moved first to deepen the kiss. Nick wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer while one of her hands was playing with the hair at the back of his neck, the other resting on his shoulder. 

Warmth filled her entire being at the contact, Sabrina’s blood feeling like liquid fire coursing through her veins. She had never felt so alive and while part of her never wanted this moment to end, another part was scared what would happen when it did. 

Nick knew the moment they kissed that it was a huge mistake. He would never be able to forget how good it felt to feel her lips on his, how she tasted of the hot chocolate she had sipped only a few minutes ago. How perfectly she fit into his embrace like this. The feeling of her hand in his hair, holding him just as close. 

They didn’t notice Hilda pulling Ambrose out of the living room by the back of his shirt, too wrapped up in each other. Sabrina only reluctantly pulled away when the need for oxygen became overwhelming, Nick chasing her lips for another short, sweet kiss before leaning his forehead against hers. For a moment, only the sound of them trying to catch their breath and the movie still playing filled the room.

“So …” Nick started, not really sure what he wanted to say but needing to break the silence.

“So …" she mimicked, leaning back. Sabrina cleared her throat. “See? Just a kiss. No big deal at all.” The way she was avoiding his eyes and pressed her lips together told a different story. She needed to get out of the living room. “I’ll be right back,” she mumbled before moving out of Nick’s embrace.

“Spellman, wait -” She was already out the door before he could finish. Shit. Why had he agreed? Another kiss that was forced on them. Although this one had taken on a life of its own. He could still feel her soft lips on his and closed his eyes, trying and failing to shake the feeling. The memory of her touch was slowly overshadowed by the panic bubbling inside him. He needed to go after her, reassure her that everything was alright. Even if that mean ignoring his own rollercoaster of emotions for the moment.

Nick took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for what was to come. He forced himself to get off the couch when he heard something fall, followed by Ambrose laughing. Before he could see what was going on, Sabrina came back into the living room, her shoulders slightly hunched and her gaze directed to the floor. 

“I missed Ambrose,” she stated quietly, not elaborating.

Nick furrowed his brow. Hadn’t he just heard the other man laugh? “What do you mean, missed? Did he leave?”

Sabrina shook her head. “He’s still here. I mean I missed … I picked my boot up outside and threw it at him, but I missed,” she finally elaborated, pouting and still not looking at him. So that’s what the laughter had been about.

Muffled voices drifted over from the kitchen, at first Ambrose, then Hilda. Sabrina and Nick couldn’t make out the words, but suddenly Ambrose yelped.  _ “Auntie! That hurt!” _ to which the older woman replied:  _ “That’s what you get for not listening to me.” _

A small smile appeared on Nick’s face. “Looks like your aunt finished the job for you,” he said, trying to get a reaction from Sabrina, but she was still firmly avoiding looking at him. He took a tentative step closer, not wanting to send her running again. “Sabrina? Talk to me. Please.” He needed to know what was going on in her mind so he could fix this.

Sabrina bit her bottom lip, her eyes trained on the tv, not really watching the movie they had long forgotten about. How could she even begin to describe what was going on in her head? Her mind was still reeling from the kiss. Why had she been so stupid to take her cousin’s bait? It had been so clear that he was egging her on, but she still fell for it. And then she had kissed her best friend. And he kissed her back. 

She could still feel his lips on hers, the way he had held her close. She could still feel how right the kiss had felt, despite being wrong. But then why had it felt so right to be in his arms? Sabrina should have felt panic the second their lips touched, but instead she felt safe, warm, cared for – like she was coming home. But it had been Nick. She wasn’t supposed to feel those things when kissing him. Or rather, she wasn’t supposed to kiss him in the first place. That kiss, no matter how good and right it felt, might have just ruined a decade of friendship. 

The panic that had been missing early starting to crash over her in waves now and her breath became shallow. Had she ruined everything just to spite her cousin? She hadn’t noticed Nick come closer, but her eyes snapped up to his face when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

“Hey, everything’s okay, Sabrina. Deep breaths,” he said, trying to calm her down. He looked calm. Why didn’t this bother him?

“Is it?” she asked, trying to get her breathing under control.

Nick nodded. “Yes. Everything’s fine.”

Sabrina took a trembling breath before speaking. “We kissed, Nick.” 

He had the audacity to chuckle. “I know. I was there.”

The look on her face made the small smile on his lips disappear. “I’m scared,” she whispered, pressing her lips together. 

The concern he felt at those words showed on Nick’s face. “What are you scared about?”

Sabrina looked over his shoulder, unable to meet his eyes any longer. “I’m scared of losing you,” she confessed.

“What? Spellman, look at me,” Nick said. When she didn’t, he put his hand on her chin and gently forced her to turn her head again. “Why would you even think that?”

“We kissed. We’re not supposed to kiss. Friends don’t kiss each other … especially not like that. I can’t lose you because I was stupid and stubborn.” She could feel her eyes get watery.

When he saw the  way her eyes started to glisten with unshed tears, Nick threw caution to the wind and pulled her close, his arms wrapped tightly around her. He could feel her go rigid at first, but then she melted against him and wrapped her arms around him as well, her face hidden in the crook of his neck.

“You’re not going to lose me, I promise. But I can’t lose you over this, either. Sabrina … it was just a kiss, like you said.” Nick took a deep breath, the next words even harder for him to say. “We got a little carried away, but that doesn’t mean that everything we had is gone.” He pressed a soft kiss to her temple like he had done a million times before and hoped she didn’t notice his slight tremble or the way his heart was racing.

“Why are you so calm about this?” Sabrina found herself asking. A little carried away was putting it mildly, but pointing that out wasn’t going to help.

Everything in him screamed at Nick to tell her that he wasn’t calm at all, but that wouldn’t help the situation. “Because I’m not letting a kiss get between us or make things awkward.” When he pulled back a little, he sought her eyes again. There was still a lot of insecurity there. The corner of his mouth pulled up in a half-smile. “Even if it was a really good one, just for the record.” The way she rolled her eyes at that told him that he had made the right choice. 

“You’re not mad at me for kissing you?” She needed reassurance that she didn’t cause chaos. 

He shook his head. “No. I’m not mad. And I kissed you back, remember? Everything is fine, Sabrina. I promise.” It wasn’t, his thoughts still a mess, but she didn’t need to know that.

A small, tentative smile appeared on her face. “I’m still sorry, Nick.”

Nick tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t be. Like I said, it was a good kiss. Besides, I got to make good on my promise.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes again, the smile on her lips growing. She relaxed further in his embrace, her panic receding. They were okay. “You’re not going to let me live that down for a while.” It wasn’t a question.

“Not a chance.”

“You’re lucky I like you.”

“You like me enough to kiss me. Hey!” He laughed when she hit his biceps before pulling away. He instantly missed the feeling of having her in his arms. 

“That was totally deserved,” Sabrina answered before looking at the mistletoe. “Now help me get that thing down so we can get back to our movie.” 

It took her getting a chair from the office and climbing up to get the offending piece of greenery down. Nick hovered close to make sure she didn’t fall and lifted her off the chair when she was done, earning a laugh. They sat back down after that and rewound the movie to the scene they had watched before the whole incident. 

There was some distance between them at first, but after a while they subconsciously drifted closer together. Nick glanced at her from the corner of his eye when he tentatively put his arm around her shoulders again. He let got the breath he was holding without even noticing it as Sabrina leaned closer again.

Neither of them noticed Hilda checking in on them a while later, shaking her head with a sad smile. While Ambrose had seen the same thing she saw, he had gone all wrong about it and tried to push things along. The romantic in her hoped that those two would realize what they had, but they needed to figure that out themselves in their own time.


	6. Pancakes and Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> Sorry this update took longer than the first few - work has been pretty demanding the last few weeks and I didn't get as much writing done in the evenings as I would have liked.  
> And I lied in my last update when I said there was one high school chapter left - the plot fairy bludgeoned me with an idea and one turned into two chapters. Oops?  
> Also, the new Taylor Swift album is giving me some _big_ Nabrina vibes ... holy shit. That might be influencing my writing somewhat since several songs made it onto my Nabrina playlist. 
> 
> But enough talk, let's get to it, shall we? Let me know what you think, I appreciate every comment very, very much!

## Pancakes and Conversations

“So, what did you want to talk about, Brina? It sounded really urgent on the phone,” Roz said, looking at her best friend expectantly. The blonde girl had called her earlier and sounded distressed, asking if she could come over. Half an hour later, they were sitting on her bed, Sabrina kneading her hands. 

“I … I kissed Nick, Roz.” She bit her lip after saying it out loud. She hadn’t talked to anyone about it. Well, not after threatening Ambrose that he’d never have kids if he ever spoke about the mistletoe thing to anyone. That had been over two months ago, though. 

“So? You guys kiss each other all the time. It’s why Harvey was always so jealous of Nick. All those hugs and kisses on the cheek or on the forehead didn’t sit well with him,” Roz pointed out. Not that it mattered anymore. 

Sabrina shook her head. “No, not like that. I _kissed_ Nick. Or, well, we kissed each other, I guess.” 

Roz’ eyes widened at the realization. “Oh. Ooooh. But … how? When? How did that happen?” 

The blonde girl looked down at her hands. “The first time -” 

“Hold on. First time?! How many times did you kiss? And why am I only now hearing about this?” 

Sabrina paused for a moment before finally answering. “Three times. We kissed three times.” Knowing it and admitting it were two different things. “The first one was before Christmas and technically Ambrose’s fault. He put up mistletoe around the family party of the mortuary and Nick and I were underneath one, I got angry and stubborn and then I wanted to prove a point to my cousin.” 

Roz raised an eyebrow. “And that point being?” 

“That kissing Nick wasn’t a big deal.” She realized how stupid that sounded. 

“But it was.” 

“I guess? It got a bit out of hand. Because it was not just the quick peck you’d expect under a mistletoe. And then I panicked because I thought I had ruined everything, but Nick calmed me down and we came to an understanding.” She sighed. “We agreed that it was just a kiss and everything was fine.” 

Roz furrowed her brow at that. “Then what’s the problem? I mean, that was months ago. I’ve seen you around each other and you acted like you always did.” 

“That kiss wasn’t the problem. Neither was the second one.” Sabrina picked at a loose thread on her pullover. “That was New Year’s Eve, by the way. And it was just a peck after midnight. I guess we got caught up in watching the fireworks and had too much champagne and other things once Ambrose started making drinks. We didn’t talk about that one, I guess we both chalked it up to the alcohol. It just wasn’t a big deal.” 

She shoved the memory into a box and closed it tightly. It wouldn’t do to remember how he had pulled her into a tight hug after the clock struck twelve, the couples around them kissing while he whispered _“Happy New Year, Spellman”_ into her ear. It wouldn’t help to think about the soft smile on his face when she pulled back slightly or how he leaned into her touch when she wished him a happy new year and brushed away some snowflakes that had gotten caught in his dark hair. How she closed her eyes when he brushed his thumb over her cheek to wipe away a snowflake from her face and then stole a kiss that was over before it even began but still left her breathless for a moment. 

Roz shook her head. “Brina, you repeatedly kissing a guy you have always claimed you don’t have that kind of feelings for is a big deal.” 

“He kissed me that time, in my defense. And I don’t have that kind of feelings for him.” 

“Did you push him away?” 

Another pause. “No,” she finally mumbled. 

“Then my point still stands,” Roz concluded. “Are you in love with Nick?” 

“What? No! God, no. I mean, I love him, but I also love you and Theo,” Sabrina replied. 

“Well, but you don’t go around kissing Theo or me.” 

Sabrina sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on, Roz. Sure, Nick has flirted with me, but he also does that with a lot of other girls, he doesn’t mean anything by it. You know that, he’s flirted with you plenty of times as well and nothing happened.” 

“Maybe it’s because you’re spending even more time together since he moved to the mortuary.” Roz leaned back against the headboard. “Being around each other all the time might have taken a toll on you.” 

She shook her head. “We spent a lot of time together even before he moved in.” 

“But spending a lot of time together and living together are two different things.” When Sabrina didn’t answer, Roz gently poked her thigh. “You mentioned three kisses, though. When was the third one?” 

Sabrina sighed and moved to sit next to Roz, leaning against the headboard as well as she studied the ceiling. “Last night after the dance,” she quietly admitted. 

+++++ 

_The night before had been the Valentine’s dance at Baxter High. They had made it a group thing and the evening had been a blast, all of them laughing and dancing until their feet hurt. But at the end of the night, she and Nick had gone back to the mortuary alone._

_They had said their goodnights and gone to their respective bedrooms, but when Sabrina tried to take her dress off, she couldn’t reach the zipper on her back. Hilda had zipped her up earlier, but her aunt was spending the night with Cee, Zelda had gone to bed hours ago and would kill her for waking her up and she had no idea where Ambrose was. Sabrina sighed and left her room, knocking on Nick’s door. “Nick? Can I come in? I need your help.”_

_The door opened a moment later, revealing Nick who had only managed to slip out of his jacket and loosen the tie that still hung around his neck. “Where’s the fire?” He stepped aside to let her in._

_“I can’t reach the stupid zipper of my dress,” she explained. “Can you pull it down a little? I mean, I like the dress, but I don’t want to sleep in it.” She turned her back to him._

_Nick smiled. “How did you even get dressed if you can’t reach the zipper?”_

_“Aunt Hilda helped me earlier, but I can’t exactly ask her,” she shrugged, looking at him over her shoulder. “So, please? Unzip me?”_

_“You might want to consider that the next time you get a dress. Being able to dress and undress yourself without help has its perks.” He stepped closer and she turned her head again. Nick undid the little hook at the back of her neck before pulling the zipper down halfway down her back, swallowing the lump in his throat. There was something incredibly intimate about this situation and he couldn’t allow himself to dwell on it. “Okay, you should be able to reach it now.”_

_“Thanks,” she said, turning around. She hadn’t calculated for their proximity however and gasped when she almost collided with him. “No crude joke about undressing me?” She raised an eyebrow._

_“You’re welcome for that,” he answered, sending her the half-smile that was entirely hers. “All jokes aside, though, you looked beautiful tonight, Spellman.”_

_The smile on her face made his own widen. “Thanks,” she answered, grabbing both ends of the loose tie with her hands. “You cleaned up pretty nicely as well, Scratch.” The tie matched the color of her dress, a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed by their friends, but that had simply been a coincidence. Hilda had insisted on taking photos of them before they left, despite their protests that it was just a dance._

_“I do what I can,” Nick said, causing her to roll her eyes. He noticed that her headband was slightly lopsided and despite the fact that she was going to take it off in a few minutes anyway, he felt the need to right it._

_Sabrina bit her lip at the gesture. There was something intimate about it, the way he fixed her headband, but she wouldn’t allow her mind to go down that road. “There’s … there is something I wanted to ask you, Nick.”_

_“You can ask me anything.” He let his hands trail down her arms when he was satisfied with the position of her headband and finally rested his hands comfortably on her waist._

_“I know that prom is still a few months away, but …” she paused, biting her lower lip again. Nick’s eyes dropped to her mouth for a split second before he forced himself to meet her eyes again. “Wanna go there with me?”_

_He smiled broadly. “Of course I’ll go to prom with you, Spellman, you didn’t even have to ask,” he said, his own smile growing even more with the way she the happiness crept across her face, her eyes shining. Had she really thought there was a possibility he’d turn her down? “But I have to ask – what about Kinkle?” Without noticing, his hands tightened the slightest bit as he mentioned the other guy._

_Sabrina shook her head. “It’s been almost nine months now, I’m not waiting for him anymore. I’ll always be there for him if he needs me as a friend, don’t get me wrong, but I’m done waiting for him to be my boyfriend again.” She meant it. She was over Harvey, her heart healed. And the guy in front of her had helped mend it by being there every step of the way. “So I figured I’d ask one of the most important people in my life if he wanted to go to prom with me instead.”_

_He pulled her a little bit closer at those words. “Flattery will get you everywhere and everything,” Nick said, earning quiet laughter._

_“Even one of your chocolate chip pancakes tomorrow morning? I know aunt Hilda is planning to make those. I’ll even trade you for a blueberry one,” she offered._

_He shook his head. “Not a chance. I’d anything for you, but I have to draw the line at sharing those pancakes.”_

_She leaned in closer, raising herself up on her tiptoes, still holding onto the loose tie around his neck. “If you won’t share, I’ll just have to steal one.”_

_“I’d like to see you try. I’m watching you now, Spellman,” Nick warned lowly, a glint in his eye as he lowered his head slightly._

_“I’ll find a way to distract you. Maybe I’ll use Salem as a decoy,” Sabrina answered, her voice quiet. She suddenly noticed how close they were, staring into each other’s eyes, neither of them looking away or backing down._

_“Not gonna work,” Nick mumbled. He was acutely aware of their proximity, but he couldn’t force himself to pull away, even if he knew he should._

_“Watch me. That pancake’s mine,” she vowed. Sabrina’s eyes dropped to his lips when he pressed them together before forcing herself to look up again._

_“Think you can outsmart me?” He pulled her a little closer still, unable to help himself. A voice in his head screamed that they were toeing a fine line and he should put a stop to it, but another voice, much louder, told him to ignore the warning and enjoy the feeling of holding her close._

_She shook her head slightly. “I don’t think, I know.” There was a challenge in her eyes as much as in her words. Sabrina knew that she really should just go back to her room, that she had gotten what she came here for, but she couldn’t force herself to pull away._

_“Sabrina -” Whatever Nick had planned to say was cut off by their lips brushing against each other. Neither was sure who had moved first to close the distance, but Sabrina used his tie to pull him closer and Nick willingly came as that first, soft brush of lips became more urgent._

_One of his hands left her waist as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her flush against him. Sabrina gasped, an opportunity to deepen the kiss that Nick didn’t let go to waste. She let go of one end of the tie and pulled it off his neck, blindly throwing it somewhere in the room. When her hands were free, one buried in his dark hair while the other played with the top button of his shirt, her mind blissfully empty, undoing it after some fumbling._

_Sabrina crashed back to reality when the hand on her back met the bare skin underneath her unzipped dress. She pushed him away gently, panting, her eyes wide as she looked at Nick. Neither said a word, the only sound in the room their labored breathing._

_She was the first to find her voice. “We shouldn’t have done that,” Sabrina said, still trying and failing to catch her breath. “I … uhm … I should go. It’s late and ... yeah.” She took a step back, bringing some more distance between them._

_The way she stared at him reminded Nick of a deer caught in the headlights. He hated that look on her face, even more because his lack of control had contributed to it. “Sabrina, don’t -”_

_She had already taken another step back towards the door. “Goodnight, Nick.”_

_Before he could say another word, she was gone, the door closed in her wake. “Dammit!” Nick cursed, his hand combing through his hair._

_When Sabrina reached the safety of her room, she closed her door firmly behind her, leaning against it with her eyes closed. “What the hell is wrong with me?” She mumbled, her heart still racing. When she opened her eyes, she saw Salem sitting on her bed, studying her with his head slightly tilted to the side. “Oh, stop looking at me like that, Salem,” she scolded the cat, who went back to grooming himself._

+++++ 

“Let me get this straight. Nick unzipped your dress, which hello, that is a) freaking hot and b) an invitation, you asked him to go to prom, argued about pancakes of all things, made out and then you basically ran away?” Roz asked, looking at her friend with a raised eyebrow. 

“We made out and I ran away,” Sabrina confirmed, taking a deep breath. 

Her best friend sighed loudly. “That’s messed up. Did you see him this morning?” 

She shook her head. “I didn’t go down for breakfast. I called you, told aunt Hilda I’d meet you for breakfast on the way out and left.” 

“You can’t hide from him forever, you know?” 

“I can try.” Sabrina shrugged, not really meaning the words. She knew she couldn’t hide forever. She didn’t want to hide from him, either. But as long as she didn’t know what to say to him, she thought it best to avoid confrontation. 

Another sigh. “Brina, that’s not you. You don’t hide from your problems.” 

“I know … but I have no idea what to do about this.” Sabrina pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, trying to make herself as small as possible. “What do I do, Roz? I already hate that I can’t just go home and talk to him. Pretend nothing happened. What if I say the wrong thing and mess things up even more? What if he decides he’s done with whatever funk we’ve been in lately and cuts me out of his life? He has enough going on without me adding to the drama.” 

Faustus Blackwood recently had made an – as Zelda called it – pitiful and undignified last-ditch effort to get his hands on Nick’s money. He had failed, but it had still been enough to cause Nick a few sleepless nights, all of them spent talking in one of their bedrooms, wrapped in tight hugs that offered a different type of comfort that whispered reassurances in the dead of night couldn’t. 

Roz wrapped her arm around her shoulder. “That’s not going to happen. I know you and I know Nick. You are a package deal, he’s not going to just kick you out of his life.” 

Sabrina rested her head against her best friend’s shoulder. “What am I going to do?” 

+++++ 

“Why didn’t you follow her? The longer you wait, the more awkward this is going to get,” Ambrose said, taking in Nick’s hunched shoulders as he sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and head buried in his hands. 

He hadn’t come down for breakfast this morning and when Hilda sent Ambrose to check on him later, he had found Nick on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It took some prodding, but after a while he spilled what had happened the night before. 

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Sorry I kissed you, Sabrina, no idea how that happened. Again.’?” He mumbled, not looking up. 

“Maybe it’s time you and my cousin really talk about this. It’s glaringly obvious that you two are a lot more than friends. You need to figure this out. If you don’t, both of you will end up hurting. Even more than you already are,” Ambrose pointed out. 

Nick shook his head. “I already told you at her birthday, I can’t do that. Whatever is going on, it’s just a phase.” 

+++++ 

“Brina, maybe you should think about if what you feel for Nick might be more than just platonic love.” Roz put her hand on Sabrina’s shoulder. “And you need to talk to him, clear the air. The longer you put this off, the more uncomfortable that conversation is going to be.” 

“There’s nothing more, Roz. There can’t be. I mean, this is Nick we’re talking about,” Sabrina objected. 

“You’ll have to explain that one to me,” Roz said, her brow furrowed. 

“We’ve been friends for so long -” 

“So were you and Harvey.” 

“And look how that turned out,” Sabrina mumbled, closing her eyes. “Besides, things with Nick are different than they were with Harvey.” 

“How so?” Roz rubbed Sabrina’s shoulder in comfort. 

“It’s just … Nick and I have this weird connection. Had it since we met. I don’t know if it’s because we both grew up without parents and found common ground in that or if it’s something different, but I’ve always felt like I could trust Nick with anything. That he’d always be there to catch me. He knows just the right thing to say to cheer me up, even if other people don’t even notice that something’s wrong. He can see right through me and while that should scare me, it just doesn’t. I feel safe with him, like nothing can really hurt me as long as he’s there with me.” A single tear slid down her cheek that she angrily wiped away. 

“You probably don’t want to hear it, but that sounds a lot like love to me. And not the friend kind.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “Not in that way. I feel like we’re too close in a different way.” 

“Feelings can change. And to be honest, before you and Harvey started dating, I kinda expected you and Nick to go there. _Because_ you were so close.” 

“No. That’s just not us. Besides, I’m not exactly the kind of girl that would catch his attention in that way. I mean, look at the girls he’s been with. They all were …" Sabrina didn’t know how to describe them. 

“Easy?” Roz supplied, grinning when she felt Sabrina’s silent laughter. 

“ _No_. Not what I meant.” 

“Still true, though.” 

“I’m just not the kind of girl who’s okay with hooking up at a party and then go our different ways, is all. I’m the relationship type. I’m the kind of girl who needs something steady in her life, at least in that regard,” Sabrina explained. 

“You guys are basically attached at the hip anyway, it doesn’t get much steadier than that. You two have been orbiting around each other for ten years. And besides, you’re also the kind of girl who makes out with a guy and then runs away,” Roz pointed out. 

“I should never have told you about that.” 

“Too bad.” There was a short pause before Roz spoke again. “But emotional chaos aside … how was it?” 

“Roz!” 

“What?” 

+++++ 

Ambrose mulled over his next words for a moment before deciding to just go for it. “If it’s just a phase, may I suggest that the two of you just get it out of your system and move on?” 

Nick looked at him as if he had sprouted a second head. “You can’t be serious.” 

He shrugged. “Why not? If this is the fallout of you and my cousin kissing without setting boundaries, then the next few months will be ridiculous around here.” 

“Easy, we’re not going to kiss anymore.” There was a finality to Nick’s tone that made Ambrose roll his eyes. 

“I bet you told yourself the same thing after the mistletoe, and look how that worked out.” He was met with silence from the younger man that told him all he needed to know. “Look, I wouldn’t suggest this if I weren’t sure that there was nothing that could tear the two of you apart. And if it’s really just a phase, why not enjoy it while it lasts? Sabrina is obviously over Harvey and as far as I know, you haven’t lived up to your reputation for just as long as my cousin has been single. Maybe you’re both just lonely, maybe it’s hormones or maybe it’s something else you just don’t want to admit. Either way, you need to figure out what to do and leaning into whatever is happening would at least help ease the tension around here.” Ambrose paused, a smile slowly spreading over his face. “And if it turns out to not be just a phase, I guess you wouldn’t be too mad about that, either.” 

Nick shook his head. “No way. Sabrina would never go for that. She’s not the casual kind of girl.” 

“Give her a chance to make her own decision, my cousin might surprise you, after all.” 

+++++ 

“I’m not going to talk about that!” Sabrina insisted, but she had a hard time keeping the smile of her face. Talking to Roz helped to calm her down, even if the whole dilemma wasn’t resolved. 

“You can’t just tell me that you made out with Nick Scratch and leave it at that,” Roz answered, poking Sabrina’s thigh again. 

“A girl doesn’t kiss and tell,” the blonde responded, making her friend laugh. 

“Come on, give me something.” 

Sabrina took a deep breath and leaned back again the headboard again. “Fine.” She paused, trying to find the right words. “It was … I don’t want to say good because that wouldn’t do it justice.” 

Roz moved away slightly so she could get a better look at her friend. “Okay, I’m definitely going to need more than that.” 

“I don’t really know how to explain it,” Sabrina admitted. “It just …. I don’t know. Have you ever done something and it just felt like everything was clicking into place?” When Roz nodded, she continued. “That’s what kissing Nick felt like. Just … right. And while my brain was screaming at me that it was wrong because it was Nick, my body told my brain to zip it and go for it. I … Roz, I have never felt so alive. It was like he set me on fire, but in a good way.” 

Roz whistled. “Wow. That good, hm?” 

“Yeah, that good. The toe-curling, breathtaking kind of good,” the other girl confirmed. “But it doesn’t matter. It’s not going to happen again.” 

Roz bit her lip, unsure how to phrase her thoughts before deciding to just throw caution to the wind. “Brina … to be honest, I’ve never heard you talk about Harvey kissing you like that, and you dated for about two years, give or take.” She paused, gauging her best friend’s reaction. When Sabrina didn’t say anything but just looked down at her hands, fiddling with the loose thread again, she continued. “Maybe whatever this is with Nick … maybe it’s just what you need?” That got her attention. 

“What are you talking about, Rosalind Walker?” Sabrina asked, her eyebrows raised. 

“You could … just go with it. See where this whole thing takes you.” Roz put up her hands in defense at the scandalized look on her friend’s face. 

“No way! That would ruin everything. Things between Nick and me are weird enough as they are right now,” she protested. 

“Like I said earlier, talk to him. And from what you’ve told me, I doubt he’d be totally opposed to … I don’t know, adding a new aspect to whatever that thing between you is?” 

“Seriously, Roz, I can’t do that. How would I even bring that up? ‘Hey Nick, listen … wanna make out once in a while? No strings or anything’. He’d lock me in a padded room and I couldn’t even blame him,” Sabrina objected, pursing her lips. 

Roz laughed. “Maybe not like that. But seriously, Brina, you need to do something about this. Otherwise you’re going to end up in a padded room anyway, judging from your current state.” She pulled her friend into a one-armed hug. “It’s going to be okay, I’m sure of that. This is you and Nick we’re talking about, after all.” 

+++++ 

Several hours and a trip to Cee’s for a burger and fries later, Sabrina was back at the mortuary, trying to be as quiet as possible as she walked past the half open door of Nick’s room to her own. She was glad when he didn’t notice her, engrossed in the book he was reading. She dropped her bag at the foot of her bed and sat down next to Salem. 

The cat woke up at the shift of the mattress and stretched, turning on his back and offering his belly for scratches, which Sabrina readily gave. Anything to distract herself from the conversation she knew that she needed to have. After a while, Salem pushed her hand away with a paw, signaling that he’d had enough before curling up in a tight ball again. She sighed. There went her excuse not to go over to the other room. 

Sabrina looked at herself in the mirror of her vanity. “You can do this. You’re a Spellman, you can do anything,” she told herself what her aunt Zelda had told her time and again growing up. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself off the bed. Time to try and fix this whole thing. 


	7. I feel like I'm on fire, I'm too shy to cry for help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a really short note: Thank you all so much for commenting and kudos! I'm still getting used to publishing again, so the support in any shape or form is greatly appreciated and helps a bit with the anxiety of putting up a new part and fearing that everybody is going to hate it.
> 
> That being said, I know that last time I said this would be the last high school chapter. I should really just stop announcing things like that because the plot bunny went "hold my carrot" and ... well. 
> 
> The lyrics are from Ellie Goulding's "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)".
> 
> So ... here goes nothing _ducks and runs_.

## I feel like I'm on fire, I'm too shy to cry for help

_Who are you to make me feel so good?_   
_Who are we to tell ourselves that we're misunderstood?_   
_Oh, who am I to say I'm always yours?_   
_Who am I to choose the boy that everyone adores?_   
_Oh, I don't see a reason why we can't just be apart_   
_We're falling on each other like we're always in the dark_

She knocked on the doorframe before pushing the door open a little further. Nick looked up, the expression on his face unreadable. “Look what Salem dragged in,” he said after a moment. 

“Can I come in?” Sabrina asked, an echo of the night before, although much quieter. She hated that she felt this unsure around him. 

He nodded. “Sure. This is your family’s house, after all.” He put a bookmark in at the page he was currently reading, closed the book and put it on his nightstand, followed by the glasses he only wore when his eyes got tired after hours of reading. She thought they suited him, even made him look sophisticated. 

She came in and, after hesitating for a moment, closed the door, leaning against it. She didn’t want anyone who walked by to overhear them, least of all Ambrose. “Nick, I’m sorry about last night,” she started. “I shouldn’t have run away like that. Not after …” While talking about what happened to Roz had been easy, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words now. 

“After we kissed?” Nick asked, not faced with the same dilemma. “Yeah, that would have been helpful.” He took her in, the way she sought support from the door she was leaning against, her gaze downcast. A part of him wanted to go to her, wrap her in his arms and tell her everything was okay, but that would be a lie. Ambrose had been right about one thing: they needed to talk and figure out what was going on. 

Sabrina took a deep breath. She hated this weird tension in the room and needed it to go away, sooner rather than later. “What are we doing?” She quietly asked, shuffling her feet. “After that mistletoe thing, we agreed that we wouldn’t let a stupid kiss make things awkward between us. And now look at us.” 

“That was one make out session and you running as if I had attacked you ago,” he pointed out, not taking his eyes off her. After the initial frustration about his lack of self-control had ebbed off, her running from him hurt. A lot. In the past, he had always been the one she ran to, not from. To have that change shook him to the core, the manifestation of one of his biggest fears: losing her. “Why did you run?” 

She gnawed on her lower lip, unsure what to say. Sabrina raised her eyes to look at him, but the intensity in his dark eyes had her avert her gaze again quickly. She had seen the hurt in them. That was her fault. “Because I was scared,” she finally admitted. 

“Scared of what?” Nick asked without missing a beat. 

“How good it felt. How you made me feel.” Sabrina almost whispered the last part, hoping that he might not hear it. 

No such luck. “What do you mean?” Dread settled in his stomach. Had she felt like he was forcing himself on her? That was an entirely new worst-case scenario playing in his head all of the sudden. But – no. She had said the kiss felt good, so that couldn’t be it. Right? The mere possibility of her feeling forced into anything made him want to vomit. 

She noticed the alarm in his voice and looking up saw his brow had slightly furrowed, an almost fearful expression on his face for a second. Dammit. She had obviously said something wrong. “I mean … I was with Harvey for two years and he never made me feel like that. So wanted. And reckless. Like there was a fire going to consume me but I didn’t care. Because I felt safe and cared for at the same time because it was you.” Sabrina paused, unsure if she should continue. But when Nick didn’t say anything, she made her choice. 

“But I can’t feel those things, not with you. I talked to Roz earlier and she said that before Harvey, she had thought we’d end up dating.” She huffed a laugh. “But how could I even think about going there? Going from friendship to a relationship and then losing Harvey was hard and it’s still awkward between us, but losing you? That would be so much worse and I don’t know if I could take it.” The thought was enough to make her eyes water. She wiped away the single tear that rolled down her cheek. 

Nick didn’t take his eyes off her while she spoke. Relief and even a little bit of pride washed over him when she admitted what the kiss had done to her. Had the situation been less serious, Nick would have made a smug remark about making her forget about two years with Harvey with a single kiss. For a brief second, he even considered following her cousin’s advice. Then, however, she was twisting a knife in a wound she had no idea existed and he pushed the thought away again as quickly as it had appeared. 

“That kiss last night was something else,” he agreed. His heart picked up speed as he remembered how good it had felt to hold her that close, kiss her senseless. How her small hand had undone that button on his shirt and he had to fight himself not to get too carried away. While he had admittedly kissed more people than Sabrina, no one had come close to the effect she’d had on him the night before. 

Nick finally stood up and took a few steps towards her, careful, almost afraid to send her running again. “But I told you before, and I still mean it: you’re never going to lose me. Kinkle’s an idiot for still acting weird around you, it’s not like your relationship ended in a dumpster fire. But no matter what happens, Sabrina, you’re never going to lose me like that. Because I know that I couldn’t take losing you, either. That’s why you running away from me like that hurt. A lot. You’re the most important person in my life, Sabrina Spellman. You’re my family.” 

More tears were streaming down her face at his words. Without thinking, she pushed herself off the door and crossed the distance, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. Nick froze for a moment, surprised at her sudden closeness, before tentatively wrapping his arms around her as well. 

“I’m so sorry, Nick,” Sabrina mumbled again into the fabric of his shirt. “I never meant to hurt you.” 

He drew soothing circles on her back as she slightly shook in his arms. “I know.” His arms tightened around her. “I know.” 

They stood in the middle of his room, wrapped around each other in a tight embrace, neither of them saying anything. After a while, Nick loosened his grip on her but took her hand and pulled her towards his bed, sitting down on the edge and waiting for her to do the same. He still held her hand when he spoke. 

“But we can’t keep doing this, Sabrina, whatever we started under your cousin’s stupid mistletoe. We can’t keep kissing and apologizing.” 

Sabrina nodded. “You’re right. We really can’t keep going like that. I hated not being able to talk to you. I hate that panic that crept into my bones after those kisses, that this might have been the thing to ruin it all.” She tangled her fingers with his. A tired smile appeared on her lips. “It would help if you weren’t such good kisser.” 

Her weak attempt at a joke made him smile as well. “Right back at you,” Nick answered, earning a chuckle. “So we just keep our lips to ourselves. Should be easy enough, we managed to do it for years.” 

“Right. Should be easy enough. I think we’ll manage,” she agreed. They sat next to each other in silence, their hands still linked. After a while, Sabrina started to squirm. “This is weird, right?” 

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God it’s not just me,” he stated. “Come here, Spellman.” Nick let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her, Sabrina happily leaning into his side. It felt good to have her close again, where she belonged. 

“So much better,” she breathed, a weight finally falling off her shoulders when he called her by her last name again. 

“I’m sorry, too. For how I treated you earlier.” 

Sabrina leaned back a little so she could look at him and shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. You were hurt. I would have deserved worse.” 

Nick tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, a small smile on his face. “Let’s agree to disagree here.” 

His thumb gently caressed her cheek and Sabrina leaned into his touch, unable to help herself. They held each other's gaze and moved to close the distance, Sabrina pulling back when she realized what was happening – again. 

“Okay, this is ridiculous,” she stated, pushing herself off the bed and bringing some distance between them again. “We can’t do this, Nick.” Her heart was racing again. 

He took a deep breath, trying to center himself while running his hand through his hair. “So what do you suggest? We don’t spend time alone anymore?” Nick dreaded the thought as soon as he voiced it. 

“No! Of course not.” Sabrina shook her head, her brow furrowed. They didn’t need a babysitter. They just needed to figure out how to avoid messing things up again. 

The room was filled with deafening silence after that, both trying to find a way how to deal with the situation. Nick sighed. “Maybe your cousin was right,” he began. At her question gaze, he continued. “I talked to Ambrose this morning.” 

“Oh no.” 

Despite the situation, her tone made him laugh. Ambrose had made it his mission to rile Sabrina up once in a while with the mistletoe incident, still earning him murderous glares from his cousin. He might as well just go ahead and pull her hair while he was at it. 

“He … he suggested something.” Nick ran his hand through his hair again, his dark curls sticking up in every direction from the motion. “I’m just going to quote him here. He suggested that we, well, should just get it out of our system instead of fighting it.” 

Her eyebrows nearly met her hairline. “He said what?!” Had Ambrose completely lost his mind? That idea was completely mad and there was no way this wouldn’t end in disaster. Except … “Roz … uhm … Roz suggested the same thing,” she added after a moment, much quieter. “But that’s crazy. We … no. No way.” She was pacing back and forth in front of him, nervous energy coursing through her. 

“That’s what I told Ambrose. But he actually made sense, in a twisted sort of way,” Nick replied. 

“Do I want to know?” Her tone was skeptical as she kept moving, somehow reminding him of Salem waiting for someone to feed him in the morning. 

Nick shook his head, trying to clear his mind. “He pointed out the obvious, that we need to figure out a way to move past the awkwardness. We need to set boundaries, because otherwise things will just continue to be weird and I hate that. I don’t want things to be awkward between us, Spellman.” She had stopped pacing in front of him, her arms wrapped around her middle. “But if what almost happened just now proves anything then it’s that staying away from each other in that way is kinda difficult for us at the moment.” He couldn’t help the small smile that tugged on the corners of his mouth when she blushed. His next words where for her benefit alone. “I’m sure it’s just a phase. But we need to deal with it somehow.” 

“So … we do what? Make out once in a while to ease the tension? That’s a terrible idea,” Sabrina said, not at all convinced. “You’re my best friend, Nick. These things … they never work out. That idea comes with a big flashing warning sign that says ‘do not go there’.” 

A part of Nick wholeheartedly agreed with her. It was a dangerous line to walk or even think about. But the selfish part of him wanted to hold her again, kiss her again. Even if she wasn’t his. “Do you have a better idea?” He found himself asking. 

Sabrina opened her mouth, but closed it again when the words wouldn’t come out. Her arms fell to her side and Nick reached for her, grabbing her hand and tugging her closer. “This is a terrible idea,” she repeated, but let him pull her in. 

“There are worse guys you could kiss than your best friend,” Nick tried to joke, but she grimaced. “A guy you picked up at a party. Or, if you inherited your aunt Zelda’s taste in men, a guy who’d probably kill people if he thought he could get away with it.” 

The look of disgust on her face made him laugh. “You’re not helping things right now, Scratch,” she informed him, shuddering. His laughter brought a smile to her face, though, even if she tried to fight it at first. Sabrina took him in, his hair a mess, his dark eyes shining. The way his shoulders shook just the tiniest bit. In this short, carefree moment she could admit to herself that he was incredibly attractive like this, warmth radiating off of him as he held her hand. She took a small step closer to him, holding his gaze. “If, and that’s a big if, we do this, we need rules.” 

He stopped laughing at her words and raised an eyebrow. “You’re actually considering this?” 

Sabrina shrugged, trying to play it off. “I mean, you said it yourself, there are worse guys I could kiss. You’re pretty easy on the eyes, for one,” she smiled when he rolled his eyes and raised her free hand to ruffle his already messed up hair before putting her hand on his shoulder. “But more importantly … I trust you, Nick. I trust that you won’t take advantage of this mess we’re in. I promise I won’t. I trust that we won’t let this change anything, that this won’t come between us. I promise I won’t run anymore. I’m tired of running from you.” 

Nick looked at her. The voice in his head screaming that this would end in disaster grew louder, but this way Sabrina bit her bottom lip while she waited for his answer was too distracting for him to listen to the warnings. “If we do this, we need to be honest with each other.” He realized all too well that he was the pot calling the kettle black, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. “No more running. We need to talk to each other.” 

“Agreed. We’ll just have to always be upfront, no excuses,” she said. 

“And if we feel like we’ve outgrown this thing, we stop. No need to make this unnecessarily complicated,” he added. 

Sabrina nodded. “Exactly. We’ll just stop. Maybe it’s just because we’re spending more time together and we’ll grow tired of this in a week or two, anyway,” she suggested, bringing Roz’s theory up. 

“Yeah, maybe, who knows. Ambrose thought it’s because we both haven’t exactly gotten much action in a while, so this might pass quickly,” Nick agreed. 

She took a deep breath. “So … we’re actually doing this?” 

The look on her face was almost too innocent, her expression open, guard down. “I guess we’re really doing this.” He tugged her closer until she was standing right in front of him. They were almost the same height, with her standing and him still sitting on the bed. “But you have to promise that you tell me the second you feel uncomfortable.” 

“I will. But you have to promise me the same,” Sabrina answered with a tiny smile on her face, holding his gaze. 

“I will,” he echoed. The voice in his head that was screeching about the monumental mistake they were making grew silent when she leaned in and brushed her lips against his, a shy, tentative touch that was over before it really began. “Don’t tease me like that, Spellman,” he mumbled and pulled her back in, his lips more insistent. Nick let go of her hand and pulled her onto his lap, Sabrina melting against him. 

A while later, she was straddling him, her hand buried in dark hair. She gasped for air when he broke the kiss and his lips slowly moved from her jaw to her neck, leaving what felt like a trail of fire on her skin. Sabrina tilted her head to the side, giving him more space. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she bit her lip to suppress a moan when Nick found a spot below her ear that she had no idea was this sensitive until now. 

She felt him smile against her skin at her reaction before focusing on the task at hand again. Sabrina lost herself in the feeling for a while, the way his lips felt on her neck, how she was pressed up against him. But then a thought occurred to her and she pushed herself back a little. “Wait a second,” she panted. “Rules. We need a few more rules.” 

“Now, Spellman? Really?” Nick looked at the girl in his lap. Her hair was a mess, her pupils blown wide, her lips swollen from his kiss. She was beautiful and all he wanted was to keep going. 

“Yes, now,” she said, but then leaned in and kissed him again because she couldn’t stop herself. Nick’s hand drifted under the hem of her shirt, his thumb caressing the soft skin. Sabrina forced herself to pull away again. “Okay, stop for a moment. Rules.” 

He leaned his forehead against hers, trying to clear his head enough to talk. Their kisses were intoxicating. “What rules?” 

“No hickies, for one,” she stated. 

“Done. No visible hickies,” he quipped, a smirk on his place. 

“Nick!” She was laughing when she reprimanded him and he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a short kiss. 

“Anything else?” 

“We contain this to our rooms. I don’t want one of my aunts walking in on us. Or Ambrose. We’d never hear the end of it,” Sabrina said. 

“Agreed. Your aunts would probably kick me out. Ambrose might be onto us, though. I’m pretty sure he’s watching us.” There was no way Ambrose wouldn’t notice that something had changed. 

“Dammit, you’re right,” she cursed. “I guess we might have to bear his gloating at some point. Roz might ask questions, too.” 

“We’ll come clean to those two if necessary, but nobody else,” Nick suggested. The less people knew about this, the better. He raised a hand to brush a strand of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear while the other crept higher under her shirt. Sabrina raised an eyebrow, the move not going unnoticed. “Any more rules you want to get out there?” He asked. 

“I think we’re good for the moment. Do you want to write them do-” He cut her teasing off with his lips as his hand tangled in her hair, holding her close. She smiled into the kiss at first before just letting herself feel, her mind blissfully empty. 

*****

“Nick! Stop it!” Sabrina laughed a few weeks later as Nick was pinning her to the corner of the couch, his fingers making her squirm as he tickled her mercilessly. They had been watching a movie and she had noticed how he wasn’t paying attention, so she did the logical thing and threw popcorn at him. Things had escalated from there and now she tried to get away from his hands, to no avail. 

He shook his head, his fingers digging deeper into the spot he knew would make her squeal. “Apologize first.” 

“Never, you were the one who wasn’t paying attention!” She tried to get away from his hands by pressing herself closer to the back of the couch, but he just followed her movement and continued his torture. “We have to rewind because of y- oh god, please stop!” Her head fell against the back of the couch as she laughed. 

Under normal circumstances, the ruckus in the living room would have attracted at least one member of the Spellman family, but Hilda was out with Cee, Ambrose was at Dorian’s and she didn’t even know where Zelda was, so there was nobody home to help her out of her misery. 

“All you have to do is apologize, Spellman,” he told her again, a devilish grin on his face. He was enjoying this way too much, how she was at his mercy. The way she exposed her neck as she laughed and how she was moving against him reminded Nick of an entirely different situation a few days prior where she had been at his mercy, gasping his name as he payed attention to the spot below her ear he had quickly learned she loved. 

“Not going to happen,” she got out between bouts of laughter. She squirmed harder when his hand moved under her shirt. Sabrina knew that if she actually wanted to get away, Nick would let her go in a heartbeat, but she was enjoying this carefree moment way too much. Even if her stomach would most likely hurt the next day from laughing harder than she had in a long time. 

He leaned over her, effectively trapping her in her corner. “You could make it up to me in a different way,” Nick suggested, his hands still relentlessly tormenting her. 

“And what would that be?” Sabrina opened her eyes and looked up at him, recognizing the smirk on his face for what it was: a challenge. She also noticed how his eyes had slightly darkened. 

“How about a kiss?” It was against the rules she had set that first night, but the house was empty. 

She shook her head. “No way. Only in our rooms,” the blonde reminded him, trying and failing to catch her breath. 

“There’s nobody here to walk in on us except for Salem, and he’s not going to rat us out,” Nick said. 

Sabrina looked at him for a second as she stopped trying to escape his hands that now simply held her close. The way he was leaning over her, the look in his eyes – it reminded her of a predator and she had no way to escape. Not that she was particularly interested in getting away. Not when she was suddenly hyper aware of the warmth radiating off of him and his fingertips leaving a tingling sensation on every inch of skin they touched under her shirt. 

“Fine,” she relented, “Come here, Scratch.” A surprised noise escaped her as he closed the distance and kissed her with a fervor she hadn’t expected, but she quickly caught on and responded with the same enthusiasm. 

They had settled into a comfortable arrangement over the last few weeks that changed surprisingly little. They were still sneaking into each other's bedrooms some nights, like they had ever since Nick moved into the guest room. Now their late-night talks sometimes evolved into making out before they fell asleep, usually with Sabrina in Nick’s arms. 

Of course, her cousin had caught onto them and had cornered her one day, making stupid double entendres about Nick scratching an itch for her. She had kicked Ambrose out of her room after that and closed the door in his face – but she could still hear him laughing all the way down the hallway as he left, his mission to ruffle her feathers accomplished. 

Nick’s hand moved further north, pushing her shirt up as well. Sabrina arched into his touch as she was gently scraping her nails over his scalp, earning a groan of approval that was muffled by their kiss. They were too caught up in each other to hear the front door open and close. 

They did, however, jump apart when they heard Zelda Spellman curse in the entrance hall as she forcefully dumped her handbag on the small table there. “That insolent, vile excuse of a man. Who does he think he is,” she spat out and walked into the parlor only a few seconds later, drawn by the sound of the TV. She was still fuming and didn’t notice the teenagers on the couch exchange nervous looks. 

Sabrina had quickly pulled her shirt down and tried to fix her hair, Nicholas combing a hand through his own dark curls. They looked like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar and they held their breath, waiting for the older Spellman sister to realize that she had almost walked in on them making out. The signs were clearly there. 

“Nicholas, if your uncle is ever found with his head smashed in with a hammer, it might have been me. So please find another funeral home for him,” Zelda said as a way of greeting before taking a drag from her cigarette after placing it in the holder. “How you turned out normal with Faustus raising you for several years is beyond me.” She went straight to the liquor cabinet, her back turned to the teenagers. As Zelda busied herself with putting together a Martini, they let go of the breath they were still holding. 

Nick cleared his throat, not trusting his voice. “I guess I had a good influence here to balance out his crazy,” he said, looking at Sabrina. When a small smile appeared on her face, he winked at her, causing her to roll her eyes. “What did my uncle do?” He didn’t really want to know how his uncle had angered Zelda, but it would keep her distracted while Sabrina tried to subtly fix her appearance, anxious energy radiating off of her as she sat next to him, a respectable distance between them. 

“It’s a shame you didn’t get out of that house sooner,” Zelda agreed, taking a sip of her drink without even bothering to get an olive, followed by another long drag from her cigarette as she turned around and looked at Nick. “Your uncle was waiting for me after the townhall meeting I just attended. He tried to talk to me about your plans for the future, obviously trying to see whether you’d touch your inheritance. When I reminded him that it was none of his bloody business since you’re eighteen and especially after the way he treated you, that sorry excuse of a human being tried discrediting you first before attacking our family. One of those days I’ll rip his head off and put it on a spike in front of the mortuary as our new mailbox.” 

“Auntie Zee!” Sabrina exclaimed. Whatever Blackwood had said obviously hit the mark, even her aunt probably had acted cool and collected around the man and was only now letting her anger freely flow through her in the safety of her own home. 

“You wouldn’t be so quick to jump to that man’s defense if you knew what he said about all of us, but you in particular, Sabrina,” Zelda fired back, fixing her eyes on her niece. “And what happened to your hair?” She sat down in one of the armchairs, neither putting down drink nor cigarette. 

Sabrina subconsciously ran a hand through her hair, trying to get it in order. “I fell asleep watching the movie.” She was lying trough her teeth and prayed to whichever deity would hear her out that her aunt would buy it. “You know how my hair gets when I’m sleeping, always looks like birds could nest there.” She paused. “And I’m not defending him, murder just seems a bit extreme.” Hopefully bringing the topic of Blackwood back would sufficiently distract Zelda. “And what did he say about me?” 

“I’m not going to repeat the misogynistic insults he threw in my face, but rest assured that murder would not be too extreme,” the redheaded woman replied and took another sip of her Martini. 

Sabrina shook her head. “You can’t just say that he insulted us and then not tell me what he said. If aunt Hilda, Ambrose and I have to post bail, I’d like to know what for.” 

Nick put a calming hand on the small of her back. “Spellman, don’t. Whatever it was, you’re better off not knowing. I’ve been on the receiving end of his tirades for years and heard a lot of things I wish I hadn’t.” 

Ever since Zelda had ended things with his uncle, the rants about the Spellman family had been a constant companion. He had raved about the impudence of the Spellman women and how they didn’t know their place in society because they lacked a male with a firm hand. When Nick defended the family that showed him a lot more love than his actual relative, it only sent him spiraling even further, ranting about how they poisoned his mind and would be the demise of the Blackwood line, cursing Sabrina in particular. She was, at least in the eyes of Faustus Blackwood, the root of all evil when it came to his nephew. Nick had stopped listening to his uncle’s lamentations long before getting out of his house. 

“Listen to Nicholas, Sabrina,” Zelda agreed, but when she saw how her niece pressed her lips together in a thin line, unhappy about being sidelined, she sighed. “Fine. The nicest thing he went on about was how he figured that you by now allowed Nicholas here in your bed because you were a gold digger. And how he hoped his nephew realized that you need to be controlled and put in your place by force if necessary. Faustus once again proved what he thinks about independent women, because God forbid, we stand up for ourselves or use our brains,” She huffed and took another drag on her cigarette. 

“What?!” Sabrina would have jumped up when Nick hadn’t moved his hand from her back to her shoulder to keep her seated. “That’s crazy! Why would he even … Nick and I have never … ugh! And put me in my place by force? What century does he even live in?” 

Nick sighed, rubbing her shoulder in comfort. “Told you. One of these days you should start listening to me.” He had suspected something along those lines. 

“Not helping, Nick,” she said, her anger evident not just on her face but also in her voice. 

“I tried to warn you, Spellman. He thinks your family is set on destroying his legacy, whatever that’s supposed to be. And you must be doing something to wrap me around your little finger and cloud my mind.” He felt her relax into his touch the slightest bit, even if she was still tense. 

“Your uncle is a nutcase,” Sabrina muttered. “Tell me if you need an alibi, auntie.” 

Zelda smirked. “Now look who’s suddenly condoning murder.” 

“Just make it look like an accident. Less questions,” Nick suggested, smiling when he saw the corners of Sabrina’s mouth twitch. Her whole posture, however, suggested that she was still stewing over his uncle’s words. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. “Don’t let him get into your head.” 

“I’m not,” she said. When he raised an eyebrow, she rolled her eyes. “I’m trying not to. But I just can’t wrap my head around how someone could have such a twisted view of society in general, not even us specifically.” 

Zelda watched the exchange. While Faustus got basically everything wrong and his view of the world was beyond reason, he saw one thing clearly: the connection between his nephew and her niece. And while she saw the way Nicholas looked at Sabrina, she was also sure that the girl wasn’t ready for him yet. Hilda had confided in her about the debacle with the mistletoe she and Ambrose had place before Christmas because they clearly loved each other, but Zelda had told her sister in no uncertain words to stop meddling. While their house guest would definitely be several steps up from the miner’s son, forcing anything would only end in tears and heartbreak, neither option something Zelda wanted to witness. 

“There’s nothing to understand, Sabrina. That man is the epitome of fragile masculinity and scared of strong women,” she concluded. 

“Your aunt is right,” Nick agreed. “Besides, you’re a force of nature, Spellman. I’d like to see a guy try to force you to do anything you don’t want. I almost feel pity for them.” He grinned when he saw the girl in him embrace smile at his words. 

Without thinking, he pressed a kiss to her hair. He caught Zelda’s knowing gaze and pulled back quickly, cursing himself as he did. There was nothing wrong with the gesture, they had been like that forever. But there was something unnerving about the way the older Spellman woman looked at him, as if she saw right through him. From the way Sabrina finally relaxed against him, she was oblivious to her aunt’s gaze. 

Zelda emptied her Martini and got up. “I’ll have another one of these on the front porch,” she declared, turning towards the liquor cabinet again to refill her glass. When she was done, she noticed how they hadn’t really moved. Resisting the urge to shake her head, she nodded towards the movie that had continued to play in the background. “You might want to start over – or watch something else if managed to put you to sleep, Sabrina.” 

Without another word, she left the parlor. Sabrina waited until the front door closed behind her aunt before exhaling loudly and sinking deeper into Nick’s embrace. “That was way too close, Scratch. Never again,” she told him quietly, her eyes closed. 

“Never again,” he repeated. Nick was just as unwilling to have to explain their arrangement to anyone. Probably because he was certain that it would put an immediate stop to things and the selfish part of him wasn’t ready for that yet. “Your aunt was right, though. We might as well start over with the movie.” 

She sighed and grabbed the remote, shaking his arm off in the process. “True. And you better pay attention this time around.” 

“Why, is there going to be a test?” He grinned when she huffed. 

“There will be if you keep going down that road,” Sabrina challenged. 

“And will I be punished if I fail?” He couldn’t stop himself from laughing at the look on her face. 

“Nick!” Sabrina hissed, looking scandalized. But the twinkle in his eyes made it hard to focus on the emotion, conjuring up entirely different images in her mind. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the tingling sensation bubbling up inside of her and focus on the situation at hand. “Did you already forget what almost happened?” She whispered loudly, not wanting her aunt to overhear her. 

“Calm down, Spellman,” he said, grinning. Nick still found it endearing how easy it was to get her worked up with a few well-placed words, even after they had started dancing on that dangerous rope that he was sure they’d fall off at some point. He just had to make sure to be there to catch her when they did. “Come back here and watch that movie with me.” He lifted his arm again and, although giving him a warning look, Sabrina leaned back against him, her head soon resting on his shoulder as they watched the beginning of the movie again, neither really paying attention the second time around, both too preoccupied with their own thoughts. 


	8. See the party, the ball gowns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you once again so much for all the love through comments and kudos, all of that is very much appreciated!
> 
> And thank you for bearing with me taking a bit longer to update - I have an excuse, I swear! When I started writing this chapter, things go ... a little out of hand. I quickly realized that I needed to make a cut and turn one chapter into two, but I wanted to get the whole thing done before deciding where to actually make said cut. So, long story short: Yes, this took a bit longer, but the next part is already done, so that update will come quicker.
> 
> Now I won't keep you any longer, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

_See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns,  
_ _See you make your way through the crowd_

_(Taylor Swift – Love Story)_

Sabrina twirled in her room, the skirt of her long red dress flowing around her. “What do you think? Can I go to prom like this?” 

Ambrose looked at his cousin with a smile as he took her in. Her hair was curled a bit more than usual, platinum blonde curls framing her face, smokey makeup accentuating her eyes. Her usually black headband had been replaced with a red one, matching the deep red color of her silky dress that reminded Ambrose of a good glass of Merlot. The dress was held up by thin straps and the bodice covered in lace, accentuating her petite frame. “You look perfect, cousin.” His smile turned into a smirk. “Nick won’t be able to keep his hands off of you tonight.” 

“Ambrose!” Sabrina’s eyes widened. “Shut up!” The last thing she needed was one of her aunts overhearing this kind of offhand comment. 

He knew exactly where her thoughts were going. “Relax, cous. The aunties are downstairs, your secret is safe. We’ll have to wait and see if it stays that way once he sees you in that dress.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I really hate you sometimes, Ambrose.” 

He chuckles. “Ah, but your life would be a lot duller without me in it. Who would spike the punch tonight if I wasn’t there, for one?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I have no idea how aunt Zelda managed to dodge the chaperone duty with you as her replacement. That’s putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. And for the record: I’m pretty sure some of the football players would have the punch spiking covered. In fact, I’m probably going to give that a wide berth. Who knows what kind of concoction that’s going to end up as.” 

Ambrose laughed. “A wise decision.” He watched her check her outfit and makeup once more in the mirror. “Now, are you ready? Hilda is downstairs waiting for you with her camera and probably talking poor Nick’s ear off. You’d think it’s her own prom with how excited she’s been all day.” 

She gave herself one last once over, smiling at his words. Her aunt had been a ball of energy the entire day, willing it to be evening so she could finally take those photos. “All set. Let’s go before she implodes.” Sabrina grabbed the bolero jacket that went with the dress and her purse and followed her cousin, but stopped in the door, looking at the boxes stacked neatly next to it with a small smile on her face. 

They were a reminder that the next chapter of her life would start soon and while many things had already been set in motion, a lot was still unknown and she couldn’t wait to see what college had in store for her. But first, prom. Sabrina turned off the lights in her room and went downstairs. 

“Thank goodness you finally decided to make an appearance. Hilda was driving me insane,” Zelda commented when she saw her niece. 

“Good things take time, aunt Zee,” Sabrina answered. 

“Well, at least it was time well spent,” the older Spellman sister said. 

Just as she had reached the bottom of the stairs, Hilda came out of the parlor, her camera in hand. She squealed when she looked at Sabrina, a giddy smile on her face. “You look wonderful, love!” 

Sabrina was about to reply when Nick came out of the parlor as well. Ambrose had probably been right about the younger aunt chattering away with him at her mercy. She had to admit that he cleaned up incredibly well, the black tux giving him an aura she couldn’t quite put a name to but definitely liked. She noticed the pocket square in his jacket matched the color of her dress, a detail that made her smile. 

In theory, Nick had known what her dress looked like. He’d seen in several times over the last few weeks since Sabrina got back from dress shopping with Roz. Nick had even taken a quick picture of the bodice to get the color right when he went to get a corsage for her. But knowing what the dress looked like and seeing her in it were two completely different stories, he realized, as he looked at her. The contrast of the deep red against her skin made her almost glow and the garment hugged her petite figure in a way he hadn’t anticipated. The breath had been knocked out of his lungs when he saw her and Nick didn’t even bother to hide his reaction from her, her aunts thankfully not looking in his direction. 

“She’s right, you look stunning, Spellman,” he finally found his voice and stepped up to her, holding out his hand to help her down the last few steps. “I mean, seriously. I’m stunned.” 

Sabrina laughed at the gesture and placed her hand in his. “Thanks. You clean up really nice, too,” she said, a bright smile on her face and scanning him once more as she accepted his help, however unnecessary it was. 

Unbeknownst to them, Hilda had already started snapping pictures when Sabrina had placed her hand in Nick’s, the moment too good to pass up. “Alright, you two, time for some pictures!” she announced, pointing at her camera. 

“Hang on, something’s still missing,” Nick said, letting go of Sabrina’s hand. He grabbed the plastic container from the small table in the entrance area and took her corsage out, gently placing it on her wrist. 

“You didn’t have to get me this,” she said, smiling as she held up her wrist, now adorned by a dark red rose, surrounded by small white flowers she couldn’t name. 

“Yes, I did,” Nick disagreed. “If we’re going to prom, we’re doing this right. All old-fashioned traditions included,” he informed her. 

Sabrina laughed. “Alright, then, if you say so.” She reached into the container and took the boutonnière that matched her corsage, carefully pinning it to the lapel of his jacket. 

After that, they were at Hilda’s mercy, posing for what Sabrina felt were a million pictures on the staircase as well as in the parlor. Ambrose, having suffered the same fate only three years earlier, was having a blast, happily suggesting new backgrounds or poses to his aunt while his cousin was plotting his murder and wondered which of the instruments down in the morgue would make him suffer the most. 

An eternity later, they were finally free to leave. They had decided to forego the waste of money that was renting a limousine for the short drive and just took the car Nick had bought a few months earlier instead. Shortly after pulling out of the driveway, Nick pulled over and parked the car. 

“Everything okay?” Sabrina asked, her brow furrowed. 

He didn’t answer but instead unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over, his lips gently brushing against hers. Sabrina smiled into the kiss before pulling him a bit closer by the lapel of his jacket, mindful not to crush the boutonnière, to deepen the kiss. 

“I’ve wanted to do that the moment I saw you in that dress, but I couldn’t in front of your aunts,” he mumbled against her lips, following up with another peck before he forced himself to pull away. 

She grinned at him, biting her lower lip in a way she had found out distracted him. “I’ve wanted to do that, too. You should be in a tux more often, it really suits you,” she commented. Her gaze fell to his lips again and she couldn’t help but laugh. 

“What?” 

“You’re wearing some of my lipstick,” Sabrina explained, “Hold on.” She grabbed a tissue from her purse and gently wiped away the traces of their kiss, grinning at the way he watched her work. When she was sure there was nothing left, she nodded to herself. “All good, you’re lipstick-free again.” 

“We should probably get going, too,” Nick remarked, settling into the driver seat again and buckling himself in. “Or the others might send a search party.” 

They had agreed to meet up with Roz, Theo and Harvey once they got to the gym and while he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the awkwardness that still lingered between the former couple of the group, Nick had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t let it ruin his and especially Sabrina’s night. 

An hour later, they were dancing to an upbeat song, Nick twirling a laughing Sabrina around, her short blonde curls flying and her eyes sparkling with joy. Upon arrival, they had met with their friends as planned and survived a first uncomfortable moment with Kinkle before Nick decided he’d had enough and suggested they take some pictures in the photo booth and then dance. 

They had been on the dancefloor ever since, only taking a quick break to grab something to drink after Ambrose pointed them to the punch bowl that wasn’t spiked while adding a bit of whatever he had snuck in to another bowl. “Really, Ambrose? I thought you were joking,” Sabrina had asked, her eyebrow raised at the nonplussed look on her cousin’s face. 

“You should know by now that I’m never joking about these things,” he told her earnestly, but then his attention was captured by something across the room. When Sabrina followed his gaze, she saw that Prudence had just walked in, which explained the dumbstruck look on her cousin’s face. “If you’ll excuse me,” was all he said before crossing the gym, his duty forgotten. 

“He’s not coming home tonight, is he?” She had asked Nick. 

He shook his head. “Definitely not.” 

After placing their glasses on the table their group had claimed earlier, they went back to the dancefloor, not backing down from the sometimes-questionable song choices the DJ provided. 

When a slower song came on, Nick pulled her close, smiling down at her. She radiated happiness and it was contagious. “I noticed a few boxes in your room earlier. Are you getting a head start with packing?” 

“Better to start early than to be in a hurry later,” Sabrina said, her arms around his shoulders. 

“So, you’re ready to move to New Orleans with me?” He sometimes still had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that they really would move to Louisiana and go to the same college. The fact that they would stay roommates to save money was another big, added bonus. It was the sensible thing to do, but there were so many implications and possibilities that it sometimes made his head spin. 

She grinned. “Absolutely. By the way, I noticed aunt Hilda doubled down on the housekeeping lessons.” She had caught them a few weeks ago when her aunt had explained to him all of her tricks for doing laundry. Sabrina had watched from her hiding spot for a few minutes before she decided to rescue him. 

“Joke all you want, but I’m glad she’s doing that. My uncle thought, or, well, thinks, he’s above all that and that money fixes everything. I’d rather be able to survive on my own,” Nick said, gently pinching her side when her smile grew. He saw Harvey watching them from where he sat at their shared table and couldn’t help himself, he pulled Sabrina closer still, his hand wandering dangerously low on her back. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Sabrina asked, her eyebrow raised. Not that she wasn’t used to his hands on her by now – but the setting didn’t get more public than this, so it was a no-go zone. 

“Sorry, habit,” he answered, a smirk on his face as she rolled her eyes. “Besides, you’ll benefit from those lessons since they’ll keep me from burning down our kitchen,” Nick steered the conversation back to the original topic, keeping his hand where it was. Hilda had also started cooking lessons for both of them since she wouldn’t be around to feed them anymore. 

“True, you’re actually getting pretty good at cooking,” she agreed. He had quickly started to catch on after some initial disasters. “We’ll be okay, Scratch.” 

“Of course. Everything’s going to work out as long as we stick together.” They shared a small smile, both looking forward to the move. While moving across the country held many unknowns, they’d always have each other. 

*********

_I can see you standing, honey  
_ _With his arms around your body_

_(Taylor Swift – Exile (feat. Bon Iver)_

“Brina, hey.” 

Sabrina turned around, surprise evident on her face. She had been on her way back to the gym after using one of the less crowded bathrooms in the school building to freshen up when she heard Harvey’s voice. He usually didn’t strike up conversation when they were alone and said little more to her than strictly necessary even when their friends were around. “Harvey.” 

“You … uhm … you look great. I didn’t say it before, but … you do,” he said after a short pause. 

“Thanks.” Sabrina didn’t really know what to say and smoothed the skirt of her deep red dress with her hands. “I like your suit. New?” 

Harvey shook his head. “It belonged to Tommy,” he explained. 

“Oh.” 

Silence settled over them, the muffled music in the gym the only sound. 

He finally broke the silence. “So … are you and Scratch …" 

“No! No, we’re not,” she quickly replied. 

“Because it looked like you were, earlier on the dancefloor.” 

“Well, we’re not. Still just friends.” 

Harvey shrugged. “He was holding you pretty close for being just friendly.” 

Sabrina bit her tongue and decided against asking him if he was watching her and took a deep breath instead. She didn’t want to fight with Harvey in general, but especially not tonight, when everything had been perfect up until this point. “Nothing has changed between Nick and me.” Sure, technically that wasn’t entirely true, but she quickly pushed that thought aside. 

“Then why did you make a big deal out of coming here with him? I know you went with him, Roz and Theo as a group to the Valentine’s dance. Why change that?” There was an edge to Harvey’s voice that Sabrina didn’t care for at all. 

She felt her own temper rise. “First of all, Nick is my best friend. I know that you never fully accepted that, but he is. So, me asking him to prom? Not a big deal.” 

“Wait, you asked him?” 

Sabrina ignored the question. “And second: You’re here with Roz and Theo. Would you really have been comfortable with me hanging out with you guys all night?” The look on his face told her everything she needed to know. “ _You_ broke up with _me_ , Harvey. That was a year ago. I waited for you to come around, but you didn’t. I don’t know why it obviously bothers you so much that I’m here with Nick, but you can’t blame me for putting my heart back together and stop waiting for you. You don’t get to be jealous. There never was a reason for you to be in the first place, but you never really believed that, right?” Her voice grew softer in the end, almost defeated. 

He didn’t speak, just looked at her, a plethora of emotions crossing his face. The most prominent of all, however, was sadness. “I know I don’t have the right to be jealous,” Harvey admitted. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, Brina.” 

She couldn’t stop herself. “That’s rich, coming from you.” 

“I know. I … I’m sorry, Brina. For hurting you. But with Tommy gone, I just … I needed space. I know you wanted to help, but I couldn’t handle you on top of everything else. And then Scratch moved in with your family and I just didn’t know what to think anymore.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “Don’t blame this on Nick.” 

Harvey sighed. “I just don’t want him to break your heart. You know how he is.” 

She pursed her lips. “I think I know Nick a lot better than you do. He has never done anything to hurt me. He was always there to help me pick up the pieces.” 

“I know you don’t want to see it, but I see the way he looks at you. He doesn’t just want to be your friend, probably hasn’t for years. He’s in love with you, Brina. I know because it’s the same way I looked at you,” he said, his shoulders slightly slumped. 

Sabrina shook her head. “That’s not true, Harvey. Does he love me? Yes, he said the words. So have I. And I love Nick, but not in the way you’re so convinced of.” She looked at the doors leading to the gym. “I should get back inside.” 

“To him.” 

“Harvey …" 

“Sorry. I just … I always thought we’d go to prom together.” 

A sad smile appeared on her face. “I thought so, too. But things didn’t work out like that.” She bit the inside of her cheek before nodding in the general direction of the noise. “I’ll try to stay out of your way in there.” ‘To make things easier for both of us,’ she added mentally. 

He shook his head. “You don’t have to do that.” 

“It’s better this way.” Sabrina took a few steps away from him before turning around. “I hope we can be friends again someday. Like we used to.” She didn’t give him a chance to answer and walked away, back into the gym. 

She found Nick with Roz and Theo, laughing about something. She plastered on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What did I miss?” 

“Ms Wardwell’s fiancé just dragged her to the dancefloor and it was just really cute,” Roz explained. 

“She was so embarrassed, though. They could have turned off the rest of the lights, her face was so red, she would have been enough to light the gym,” Theo added, making her chuckle. 

Nick noticed that something was off and was about to ask when he saw Harvey approaching. He noticed how Sabrina slightly tensed. “Speaking of the dancefloor, you up for another round, Spellman?” 

She nodded, grateful for the excuse to leave. “Lead the way, Scratch.” 

He grabbed her hand as he led her to the dancefloor and made a show of spinning her around before pulling her into his arms, the gesture bringing a real smile to her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You okay?” 

She nodded. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Spellman, you should know better. What’s bothering you?” Nick was grateful for the slow song they were currently swaying to since it gave them a chance to talk. 

“I ran into Harvey outside,” Sabrina admitted. 

“Ah. And from the way he’s looking at us right now, he had thoughts about us being here together,” he commented, holding Harvey’s gaze until he looked away. 

She sighed. “You can say that again.” Sabrina paused for a second. “Nick … is it weird that we’re here together but not with our friends?” 

His brow furrowed at the question. “Why would it be weird? We’re definitely not the first people going to prom as friends and won’t be the last.” Nick pulled her a bit closer. “Besides, if this is what a short conversation with Kinkle does to you, I don’t want to think about how tonight would have gone if we went here with the others.” 

“You’re right. I shouldn’t let his words get to me like that,” Sabrina said after a short pause. “He more or less admitted that he’s jealous I’m here with you.” 

He grinned at her. “I can’t blame him. I have the most beautiful girl in the room in my arms. I’d be jealous, too, if I were in his shoes.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re an idiot, Scratch.” 

Nick placed a quick kiss on her forehead. “But you like it.” 

“I guess I do,” Sabrina replied, a smile still firmly on her face. It had definitely been the right choice to ask Nick. He was her rock when she needed him, always knew what to say. And even if she’d never admit it to him, she enjoyed these little moments of innocent flirting, always had. It was just part of who they were and she wouldn’t change anything about that for the world. 

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Spellman?” 

She smirked, something she had probably picked up from him somewhere along the line. “Nothing. Just thinking how lucky I am to have you in my life. Even if you are annoying once in a while. But it helps that you’re pretty.” She laughed when he squeezed her waist at her teasing. 

“Watch it. Remember we’re going home together tonight.” 

“Is that a threat?” Sabrina raised an eyebrow. 

“Maybe. Keep it up and you’ll find out.” The glint in his eyes told her all she needed to know. 

“Do your worst,” she replied. If anything, Sabrina Spellman had never backed down from a challenge. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	9. You Say My Name Like There Could Be An Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> First of all, thanks again for the kudos and comments - all of that really means a lot to me.
> 
> Now, as promised, this update comes a bit quicker than the last one. But I was told that this should come with a rollercoaster warning, so you might want to buckle up?

## You Say My Name Like There Could Be An Us

_  
Whispers of "Are you sure?"_   
_"Never have I ever before"_   
_But I can see us lost in the memory_   
_August slipped away into a moment in time_   
_'Cause_ _it was never mine_   
_And I can see us twisted in bedsheets_   
_August sipped away like a bottle of wine_   
_'Cause you were never mine_

_(Taylor Swift – August)_

A few hours later, the front door to the mortuary closed behind Sabrina and she leaned against it. The house was dark except for the entrance area, her aunt Zelda long gone to bed. Ambrose had left with Prudence and her sisters about an hour before Sabrina and Nick had decided to call it a night and Hilda would be staying with Cee to open the diner with him the next morning to ward off the inevitable influx of hungover teenagers. 

Nick watched her with an amused smile. “You okay there?” 

She dropped her purse on the small table next to the door and started working on the straps of one of her shoes. “I’ll be okay as soon as I get these shoes off. I love them, but God, my feet hurt.” A content sigh fell from her lips when her bare feet touched the cool floor. “So much better,” she mumbled, still leaning against the door for support. 

He laughed and went to her, picking up her shoes with one hand and wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you upstairs.” 

She smiled at the gesture and let him lead her up the staircase, taking her shoes from Nick when they reached the door to his room. She kept walking towards her own room, throwing a coy smile over her shoulder. “I’ll drop these off and then come over. You’ll have to help me unzip my dress again.” 

“Promise not to run away this time?” He answered, grinning when she rolled her eyes. 

“You’ll never let me live that down, will you?” Sabrina asked, already well aware of the answer. 

“Not a chance.” 

She faked a heavy sigh, making him laugh. “Thought so. Still disappointing.” She turned on the lights in her room and Nick shook his head, still smiling as he went into his own room, leaving the door open. Considering the changes between them over the last few months, the prospect of unzipping another dress for her was definitely something to look forward to. 

He shrugged out of the jacket of his tux, mindful of the flower still pinned to it. Nick hung the jacket over the back of his chair and gently touched the rose, a smile on his face. He’d have to ask Sabrina or maybe Hilda for the best way to preserve it, wanting to keep it as a reminder of the evening that was slowly coming to an end. Since moving to the Spellman family home, he had realized that he had only a few mementos of good moments in his life, something that needed to change. The part of the mortuary where the family resided was filled with little tokens from the past and the thought of having almost none of his own had made him almost melancholic at first. 

Meanwhile, Sabrina had dropped her shoes next to the door after entering her room and put the bolero jacket she had barely worn back on its hanger. She put her purse on her desk and went to the bathroom, scratching Salem’s head as she passed her bed. The cat stretched at the touch before curling back up into a tight ball. In her bathroom, Sabrina took off the corsage Nick had placed on her wrist, smiling as she touched the rose. She’d have to talk to Hilda if there was a way to preserve the whole thing – she didn’t want to just press the rose. But that was for tomorrow. 

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was for the most part still intact, despite all the laughing and dancing the night had held. Only the curls had slightly given, but since she hadn’t put any hairspray in to begin with, that was to be expected. Sabrina took off her red headband and placed it next to the corsage before deciding to wipe off the rest of her lipstick, most of it gone anyway, transferred to the cups Baxter High had provided for the punch and other beverages that were supposed to be non-alcoholic. She turned off the light in her bathroom and, remembering a conversation with Roz a few days before, went to her nightstand to grab something before leaving her room, turning off the lights again. 

Nick’s room was empty when she entered, so she sat on his bed, legs swinging back and forth the slightest bit as she waited for him, studying the room. After the first few weeks and the decision that he’d stay for the remainder of the school year, he had slowly started to make the place feel like his own instead of treating it like a guest who’d pack up and leave any day. 

Sabrina smiled when she saw a picture from her birthday party of them dancing stuck to the wall over his desk, accompanied by more. There was a picture of them with Roz and Theo at Cee’s, taken after a movie night. Another one, this one from Christmas. Ambrose was doing his traditional reading while the rest of the family listened. She hadn’t even noticed Nick sneaking that picture. Sabrina had a feeling that at least one of the pictures they had taken in the photo booth tonight would end up there as well. She laughed when she saw a really old one from a class trip in fourth grade, their heads stuck together as they looked to be in deep conversation. She got up again and grabbed the picture from their childhood, a smile on her face as her fingertips brushed over their young faces. 

That’s how Nick found her, lost in thought. He saw the picture in her hands and smiled as he approached her, making her jump slightly when he rested his chin on her shoulder. “Remember how the teachers gave us way too much candy on that trip since we were all so well-behaved?” 

Sabrina laughed. “I remember that changing really fast due to all that sugar. I’m still surprised aunt Zee didn’t murder every single one of us. That was the last time she joined as a volunteer supervisor, she always made aunt Hilda do it after that.” 

“Still, it was a great day,” Nick said, snaking an arm around her waist. 

Sabrina leaned back against him after placing the picture back where it belonged. “It really was. Things were a lot simpler back then, too.” 

“What do you mean?” He enjoyed having her in his arms like this, simply holding her. The time spent in their rooms felt like a bubble where he could allow himself to be just selfish enough to take whatever she was willing to give him. 

She put her hand on top of his and laced their fingers together. “I mean that our biggest worries were if one of our teachers would drop a pop quiz on us the next day. Or if the weather would stay nice so all of us could play in the woods behind the mortuary, staying close enough so we’d hear aunt Hilda call us to have some cake or cupcakes or whatever it was she was in the mood for. Now we have to worry about college and moving and jobs.” 

Nick pressed a kiss to her hair. “We’ll be okay. You said it yourself earlier.” 

“I know. I just need to hear it sometimes, too.” Sabrina pulled away enough so she could turn around in his embrace, her arms almost automatically wrapping loosely around his neck. “And just for the record: I’m really looking forward to New Orleans with you.” 

“Same. But I’ll also miss this place. It started to feel more like home than my uncle’s house ever did.” The soft smile on her face at his words was almost too much for him to take. 

One of her hands started playing with the short hair at the nape of his neck while she gently placed the other on his cheek, her thumb caressing his skin. He couldn’t help but lean into her touch. “That’s because this _is_ home, Nick. Yours just as much as it is mine.” She raised herself up to her tiptoes and placed a short, sweet kiss on his lips before meeting his eyes. “I hope you realize that for the holidays or semester break, you’re coming back home with me. This place will always be here for you. In fact, I’m pretty sure the aunties would drag you back here themselves if you didn’t show up.” 

Nick swallowed the lump suddenly in his throat. He hadn’t talked to any of the Spellman’s about that yet – however, he had figured that he’d probably just stay in New Orleans for the holidays since he didn’t need refuge anymore. Despite having spent so much time in the Spellman house over the years, his uncle’s cold upbringing had taught him not to expect kindness. Instead of answering, he tangled his hand in her hair and crushed his lips to hers, desperate to find an outlet for the emotions coursing through him. 

The surprised sound at the sudden kiss was muffled by his lips and Sabrina pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. She had no idea how long they stood there kissing, but at some point, Nick’s hand that had rested on the small of her back moved higher while Sabrina’s hand slid from his cheek to his shoulder and to the buttons of his shirt. He had undone the first two after taking off the bowtie she had spotted on the desk, but the intensity of their kiss made her crave more. 

When the third and fourth button popped open after some fumbling and Sabrina was met with more fabric underneath, she pulled away just enough to see that he wore an undershirt. She huffed and pursed her lips. “Really?” Nick laughed and leaned in again, but she put her hand on his chest. “Close the door. Just in case.” 

He stole another quick kiss, if for no other reason than that he could, before nodding. “Just in case,” he answered. 

When the door was closed and he turned around, Sabrina had turned her back to him, looking at him over her shoulder. “I told you, you’ll have to unzip me.” 

Nick raised an eyebrow. Yes, she had said it and if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that the thought had been in the back of his mind ever since. But he had imagined a situation similar to the last time she asked for his help – him just unzipping her dress so she could go to her room and take it off. With his door closed, however, Sabrina obviously wasn’t looking to leave anytime soon. He slowly approached her, his eyes never leaving hers. “What are you up to, Spellman?” 

“Right now? Just looking to get my dress unzipped.” The innocent tone in her voice was betrayed by the smile on her lips. 

He did as she asked and unzipped her dress halfway, his lips leaving a trail of soft kisses on her exposed neck because he couldn’t help himself. She was driving him insane tonight and he had a feeling that she was well aware of what she was doing to him, something that was not always the case. 

Sabrina closed her eyes, enjoying the trail of fire his lips seemed to leave on her skin for a moment. When his mouth left her neck and moved to her shoulder, brushing aside the thin strap of her dress, she had to take a step away before this got any further. 

When she turned around, she was met with a look of confusion. “Are you okay? Did I take it too far?” Nick asked as Sabrina put the strap back into place to hold up her dress. 

She shook her head. “You didn’t. In fact … I want to take it further.” She bit her bottom lip as he raised his eyebrows. 

“How much further are we talking?” Nick had no idea what to expect. Their making out had gotten more intense as time went on and shirts had come off a few times, but the girl in front of him had never made this sort of announcement before, it had just happened. 

Sabrina took a deep breath, trying to find the courage before answering. “All the way.” 

It felt like his breath got stuck in his throat and Nick coughed. “I’m … I’m sorry, what?” He was sure that he hadn’t heard her right. 

She took a small step forward, close enough so she could play with the collar of this shirt. “Nick, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now,” she started to explain, her gaze focused on her hands. “And as cheesy as it sounds, I always thought I’d lose my virginity on prom night - ” 

“And I’m pretty sure you thought you’d go to prom with your boyfriend,” he interrupted her, having a hard time wrapping his head around what she had just said. 

Sabrina sighed. “True. But over the last couple of months, I realized something. Would it have been nice to have the whole cliché? Maybe. But what I think is more important than some sort of label is trust. And there’s nobody I trust more than you, Nick. I told you, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. And I … I want to trust you with this, as well.” She looked up at him through her lashes, meeting his gaze. 

“Spellman … despite of what we’re doing, you’re a relationship kind of girl. Don’t waste this on me.” His mind was spinning. Had she really just asked him to sleep with her? Nick didn’t want to allow himself to think about the idea too long, the images in his head too tempting. Did he want to have sex with her? He’d be lying to himself if he denied that. But she deserved so much more than her first time being with someone who couldn’t even tell her that his feelings went well beyond what she thought. 

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. Sabrina had expected this. Despite his attitude and the flirting and everything else, he was always looking out for her, making sure she was okay. “Were you listening to what I just said?” She asked, a teasing tone in her voice. “I want this. With you. What good will it do me to wait for a relationship when I don’t have the level of trust in that person that I have in you? And don’t ever think I’d consider anything we do wasted.” She pulled him down by the collar of his shirt and kissed him. 

Nick got lost in her words just as much as in her lips for a moment and wrapped his arms around her again on instinct, drawing her closer, aching to feel her in his arms. His resistance was melting away with each passing second, each soft touch. He had never been able to say no to her. When he felt her smile against his mouth, he pulled back. “Are you completely sure? I don’t want you to wake up tomorrow and regret this.” 

“I could never regret this. Because it’s you,” Sabrina answered. 

He closed the gap again, a deep kiss full of promise that made her toes curl. When he pulled back, both of them were breathing hard, desperate to fill their lungs with air. “If you change your mind, you tell me. Promise me, Spellman.” 

“I promise, Scratch,” she replied. After a short pause, a small grin appeared on her lips as she started to unbutton the rest of his shirt. “This needed to go like ten minutes ago,” Sabrina informed him, making him laugh and taking a bit of the tension between them away. 

He played with one of the flimsy straps that held her dress up. “This needs to go, too,” he answered before reaching around her, blindly pulling the zipper of her dress down the rest of the way. 

She pulled his dress shirt from his pants and let go of the white fabric, reaching for the straps of her dress and pushing them off her shoulders, letting the red gown pool at her feet, her eyes never leaving his. “Your turn,” she simply said. 

He held her gaze as he first took off his dress shirt and quickly pulled his undershirt over his head. Nick knew that if he allowed his eyes to travel now, he’d forget everything else. When the shirt hit the floor, he pulled her flush against him, both gasping at the skin contact. Instead of letting her step out of her dress, Nick picked Sabrina up and sat her down on his bed. He noticed the small foil square on his nightstand and raised an eyebrow when he looked at the blonde in front of him. “You really came in here with a plan.” 

She shrugged slightly, reaching for him again and pulled him on the bed, leaning back into his pillows. “I told you. I’ve been thinking about this. So I came prepared.” 

Nick finally allowed his eyes to travel and he had to swallow another lump in his throat. “God, you’re gorgeous,” he mumbled before kissing her again, vowing to himself to worship every inch of her as she tangled her hand in his hair to pull him closer. 

Later, when they lay next to each other, still a tangled mess of limbs and her head resting on his chest, Nick knew that he had made a mistake. He would never be able to get over the images and sounds of what had just happened. How Sabrina had responded to his touch, his lips. How she had whispered his name almost like a prayer. The look on her face as she fell apart in his arms. 

He absentmindedly played with her hair as she drew soft circles on his skin. She noticed that he was deep in thought and pressed a soft kiss to his chest. “Are you okay?” 

Her words brought him back to the present. A present where she was snuggled up to him in a way he hadn’t dared to dream. “I should be asking you that. Everything okay?” 

Sabrina smiled. “Everything’s fine. More than.” She stretched, pressing herself closer to him in the process. “This was perfect.” She placed a soft kiss on his lips, then resumed her former position. 

“Am I right when I assume you plan to spend the rest of the night here?” He asked, the soft smile on his face reflecting in his voice. 

“My whole body feels like jello right now. So if you don’t plan to carry me over to my room, I’m staying right here,” she said, her eyes closed. 

“I’m not getting up again until tomorrow morning,” Nick informed her, his embrace tightening regardless. He had no plans to let her go until he had to. They lay in silence for a while, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other and basking in the aftermath of what had transpired. Nick chuckled when he saw her stifle a yawn. “Go to sleep, Spellman.” 

“I don’t want to,” Sabrina mumbled into his chest. “Not yet. If I go to sleep, tonight is officially over.” 

He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, making her hum at the contact. “Tomorrow will be just as good.” 

“Promise?” 

Nick could hear that sleep was threatening to overtake her. “Promise. Good night, Sabrina.” 

“Night, Nick.” 

It didn’t take long for her breath to even out, but Nick lay awake, looking at her while he struggled to wrap his head around the turn the night had taken. And he couldn’t help but hope that maybe, just maybe, she might be ready to turn this hide and seek game they were currently playing into something more permanent. 

As much as he enjoyed spending time alone with her in what felt like a bubble each time the door to either of their bedrooms closed, he admitted to himself that he wanted more. To be able to kiss her when other people were around. Hold her close without getting knowing or judgmental looks, depending on the company. 

He fell asleep to the thought that the next day, he would ask Sabrina Spellman on a real date. 

*********

When Nick woke up the next morning, Sabrina was still in his arms, her head on his chest and her arm loosely draped over his stomach. She had snuck out of the bed sometime during the night and put on his dress shirt, the buttons digging into his skin, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He placed a soft kiss to her tousled hair and smiled as she snuggled closer, marveling once again at how perfectly she fit into his embrace. He saw that she had picked up her dress as well, the red gown draped over the back of his chair. Nick absentmindedly dragged his fingertips over her back, drawing nonsensical patterns. He had no idea how long he just lay there when she finally stirred.   
  
“Good morning,” he said, his own voice still hoarse from sleep.   
  
“Morning,” she mumbled, pressing her face into his chest. The rumble of his chuckle finally made her raise her head. “How long have you been awake?”   
  
“Just a few minutes.” He kisses her forehead. “How do you feel? Everything okay?”   
  
Sabrina stretched and curled up against him again, her head on his chest. She reminded him of her cat at that moment. “Couldn’t be better.” She placed a kiss over his heart. “I think I could be convinced to do that again. Hey!” She yelped as he pinched her side. 

“You’re awfully cheeky for someone who just woke up.”   
  
“What can I say? I’m in a really good mood this morning.”   
  
He pulled her up so she was at eye level. “No regrets?”   
  
She smiled as she shook her head. “No regrets.” After a short pause, she added. “Or maybe just one.”   
  
Nick felt like his heart stopped beating. He should have stopped them, should have known better.   
  
“Now that I know what it’s like, I kind of regret that we didn’t do that sooner.” Her words were followed by a quick peck and a satisfied grin.   
  
He took a deep breath, willing his heart to start working again. “Don’t scare me like that, Spellman,” he warned.   
  
The grin on her face grew wider. “Sorry. Let me make it up to you.” Sabrina closed the distance and kissed him, her intentions clear.   
  
Nick allowed himself to get lost in the kiss for a moment before pulling away. “Hold on a second.”   
  
Her brow furrowed when she saw the serious expression on his face. “Nick, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have joked about having regrets,” she tried.   
  
He shook his head and pushed a strand of her moonlight colored hair behind her ear. “That’s not it.” He took her in. Her hair messy, no makeup on her face, which he assumed happened when she had gotten up to put in his shirt. Her dark eyes he could get lost in wide with anticipation of what came next. He thought he could see the slightest bit of worry, too. “It’s just ... we’ve been doing this whole thing somewhat backwards.”   
  
“What do you mean?” She asked quietly.   
  
“We’ve been making out for months now, went to prom, had sex ... but we never went on a real date. Maybe ... maybe we should do that. Go on a date,” he suggested, a far cry from his usual, confident self. He saw the moment her walls went up.   
  
Sabrina pulled back, bringing some distance between them as she shook her head. “Or … maybe we shouldn’t,” she said, carefully phrasing her rejection. 

“Why not? Sabrina, we’ve been toeing this line for months and you know it.” He tried to catch her eyes, but she kept avoiding him. “One date. If we feel like it’s not working out, we can at least say we tried.” 

“No. That’s a horrible idea, Nick.” Her thoughts went back to the conversation with Harvey the night before. Had he been right after all? No, that was stupid. Nick probably just thought that he should take her on a date because they had sex. “You don’t have to take me on a date because of what happened last night.”   
  
“That’s not why I think we should try. Why is it such a horrible idea?” He already knew her answer before she spoke.   
  
“You know why.” She didn’t want to elaborate and she knew she didn’t have to. They had been here before.   
  
“Sabrina, you can’t hide behind your breakup with Kinkle forever,” Nick said, cursing himself when he saw her recoil. She sat up, trying to bring more space between them, but he followed quickly.   
  
“I’m not hiding behind anything, Nick,” She stated.   
  
“You are. We’re going in circles. Every time we take a step in this direction, you hide behind what happened between you and Harvey.”   
  
“And what’s so wrong about the fact that I don’t want us to end up the same way?” Sabrina asked, wondering how they had gotten from waking up in each other’s arms to this so quickly.   
  
“We’d never end up like that,” he argued. He was convinced that the thread connecting them was much too strong for that to happen.   
  
“You don’t know that.”   
  
“Neither do you.”   
  
“Well, I don’t want to find out, either. I don’t want to play a game of trial and error with this, Nick.” She got out of the bed, the need for space too strong to ignore it any longer. Sabrina felt naked, standing in his room, her legs bare and only wearing his shirt. The fabric suddenly felt heavy against her skin.   
  
Nick was about to answer when Hilda’s voice rang through the mortuary, letting everyone know that breakfast was ready.   
  
Sabrina backed up towards the door. “I should get dressed,” she said, grabbing her prom dress from the back of his chair where it had been draped over his jacket.   
  
“You’re running away again,” he observed, dragging a hand through his hair in frustration.   
  
“I’m not,” she insisted, “but I don’t want one of my aunts coming up here and seeing us like this.” It was as escape route, even if her explanation made sense. She listened for a moment and when she was sure it was safe, she opened the door. “I guess I’ll see you at breakfast,” she mumbled, quickly leaving before he could get another word in. 

Nick dragged his hand over his face, trying to make sense of what just happened. He should have known, should have anticipated that this would be her reaction. She was so scared of anything between them changing that she refused to take a risk. For all her claims of trust in him, her actions just now told an entirely different story. 

*********

“Good morning, love!” Hilda greeted her niece when she came into the kitchen, her hair still wet. “There are pancakes on the table, blueberry for you and chocolate chip for Nicholas. I figured you would need the sustenance from all the dancing at prom last night. There’s coffee and tea as well.” She went back to work, focusing on the red velvet cupcakes in front of her that came fresh out of the oven. 

Sabrina had taken her time before going down, deciding to take a shower first and at least try to clear her head before she had to face Nick again. 

“Thanks, auntie,” she mumbled, taking her usual seat and immediately starting to stack her plate with pancakes even if she didn’t feel like eating at all. 

“Someone is grumpy this morning, didn’t expect that,” Ambrose commented from his perch on the window sill, a cup of coffee in his hands. Sabrina shot him a warning look that he pretended not to notice. “Did the punch not agree with you last night?” 

“Given the fact that I saw you spike it, I avoided that stuff, thank you very much.” She poured some maple sirup over her pancakes and forced herself to start eating. She just wanted to get this over with and return to her room, hopefully without running into Nick. 

Zelda lowered the newspaper she was reading and looked at Ambrose, disapproval clearly written all over her face. “Honestly, one could think you were the teenager here.” 

He shrugged, grinning at his aunt. “That’s what you get for putting me in charge of the refreshments. And volunteering me to take over your duties.” 

Hilda tsk-ed at her nephew. “Really, Ambrose, getting these kids drunk.” Ambrose was about to respond when Nick entered the kitchen. “Oh, good morning, Nicholas!” 

“Good morning,” he answered politely, forcing himself to smile and failing. Nick sat down in what had become his usual spot next to Sabrina and pretended not to notice how she shifted slightly to bring a bit more space between them, ensuring they wouldn’t touch by accident. It stung, as did the way she focused on her plate, apparently hellbent on not looking at him. 

“Another grumpy one. I remember my own prom a bit differently,” Ambrose commented. 

Sabrina glared at him. “Drop it,” was the only thing she said before her attention went back to her plate and she forced herself to eat again. Each bite of the pancakes she normally loved felt like bricks stacking up in her stomach. 

Ambrose shot Nick a questioning look, an eyebrow raised. The younger man slightly shook his head. He had a hunch that Ambrose would try to get either of them to spill, most likely when there was no aunt around, though, and they could speak freely. Nick wasn’t exactly looking forward to that. 

“We’ll have to go through all the photos I took last night, see which ones we should get printed,” Hilda said, her back turned to the room. 

Sabrina tensed at the idea. Revisiting those pictures definitely wasn’t something she was currently in the mood for. “Sorry, auntie, I’m meeting Roz later,” she lied through her teeth. 

“Oh, last minute preparations for your big trip to New York?” Her aunt asked. 

The younger Spellman happily took the excuse offered to her. “Yes, we’re still trying to figure out how many sights we can squeeze in and the best way to do it.” That wasn’t exactly a lie, they were still talking about that – they just hadn’t planned to do it today. 

“When are you leaving again, cousin? Just so I know when I can use your bathroom,” Ambrose asked. 

“Next Tuesday. First Graduation, then a day to make sure we have packed everything we need and then we’re off. And stay out of my bathroom.” 

Nick had stopped eating next to her, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Tuesday. That gave him less than a week to sort out the mess they were currently stuck in – that he had no idea how to fix in the first place. 

Sabrina felt his gaze on her, but she didn’t look at him. Instead, she looked at the big clock on the wall. “Oh, damn, I need to go, I’m already late,” she said pushing back from the table, her breakfast almost untouched. “Thanks for the pancakes, auntie!” 

“Sabrina -” Nick tried quietly, but she didn’t look at him when she stormed out of the kitchen either. 

“Your hair is still wet, love!” Hilda called after her, sighing when she didn’t get a response. However, she noticed the way Nicholas was staring after her, his shoulders slightly slumped and hurt evident on his face. It didn’t take a genius to realize something must have happened between the two of them, but she also had the feeling that now wasn’t the right time to ask. 

Nick excused himself soon after and went back to his room. At the foot of his bed was his shirt, the one Sabrina had still been wearing earlier, neatly folded. He sat down on the bed and grabbed the shirt, his eyes closed as he brought it up to his face. He thought he could still smell the faintest traces of her perfume. 

*********

_You say my name like there could be an us_   
_I best tidy up my head I'm the only one in love_

_(Adele – Melt My Heart To Stone)_

Graduation came and went and while they posed next to each other for Hilda for more pictures, Sabrina otherwise still avoided Nick like the plague. Their encounters when they sat down for meals or ran into each other in the house were civil, but forced and both heaved a sigh of relief when it was time for her and Roz to leave for their trip to New York. 

Nick decided to use the time alone to clear his head, decide what to do. The way they were currently acting would make living together in New Orleans a nightmare. He lay on his bed, his eyes following the wood structure and didn’t notice someone entering the room until the door clicked shut. He sat up, a sigh already on his lips when he saw Ambrose. Nick had dreaded this moment, but had known it would come all the same. 

He sat up, watching Ambrose as he grabbed the chair from his desk, turned it around and sat down, crossing his arms over its back as he looked at him. “Mind telling me what’s going on with you and my cousin?” He finally asked. “And please don’t try to tell me it’s nothing. Don’t insult my intelligence like that.” 

Nick combed a hand through his already messy hair. He hadn’t really bothered with it the last few days, Graduation being the only exception. “Let’s just say that prom took a turn for the worse.” 

“No shit, Sherlock. I saw you two at breakfast the next morning. You looked sick and Sabrina did her best impression of the roadrunner the second she saw an opening,” Ambrose recounted. “What happened?” 

“I made a mistake. I got carried away by it all and made a mistake.” Nick left it vague, not exactly wanting to tell Sabrina’s cousin that he had taken her virginity that night. 

Ambrose sighed. This was worse than pulling teeth. “What kind of mistake? I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.” 

Nick shook his head. “Maybe I need to figure this one out on my own.” 

“Bullshit. What happened?” 

The younger man paused for a moment and took a deep breath. “I asked her on a date. Told her how we were doing things backwards with what’s been going on between us and going to prom together.” 

“And she obviously didn’t take it well.” 

He shook his head again, a sad smile on his face. “She didn’t. Called it a horrible idea and was pretty clear about the fact that she did not want to try going on a date. It was the old argument, her not wanting us to end up like her and Kinkle.” 

Ambrose couldn’t stop himself from groaning. “I love my cousin, but she’s incredibly dense when it comes to this.” He looked at Nick, the dark circles und his eyes proof that he hadn’t slept well for the last couple of nights. “What do you want to do about this?” 

“I have no idea.” The resignation Nick felt was palpable in his voice. “All I know is that Sabrina and I will never be more. She won’t allow it.” 

“As much as it pains me to say, because I would have liked to see the two of you together: Maybe you should let her go. Torturing yourself by taking what she’s willing to give but always shoving aside what you really want is not healthy,” Ambrose gently suggested. 

Nick’s less than enthusiastic nod almost made Ambrose regret his words. “I’ve been thinking about that. We need to find common ground again before we move to New Orleans, otherwise that’s going to be hell. And there’s no going back on that, either, we already signed the lease. I guess … I guess we should end this. Go back to just being friends, nothing more. I can’t keep going like this. Having her in a sense but not. There was a part of me that thought I could do it, at least take what she was willing to give, but … no. That’s not going to work anymore.” 

The other man took a deep breath. “You have a few days to think on this until she gets back. Maybe a few days away from Greendale will help her see things clearer, too.” He didn’t want to get Nick’s hopes up, but Ambrose couldn’t help himself. If only his cousin would open her eyes and see what was right in front of her. “In the meantime, let’s go to Dorian’s tonight. A few drinks to take your mind off things might do you some good, too.” 

“Encouraging underage drinking. Maybe my uncle was right, you Spellmans are the doom of the Blackwood family line,” Nick weakly joked. 

“Don’t let Zelda hear you say that. She might string you up by your intestines for talking about him like that,” Ambrose warned, laughing all the same. 

*********

_The hint of these new tears_ _are_ _sharp._   
_I try to choke them back._   
_But it's useless._   
_I am useless against them._   
_They are beating me with ease._

_(Dashboard Confessional – The Sharp Hint Of New Tears)_

A week later, Sabrina was unpacking in her room after getting home from her trip to the city that never sleeps. She had gotten her aunts some small trinkets as souvenirs and Hilda had already placed the small Statue of Liberty on the mantlepiece. 

Nick watched her walking back and forth for a moment, taking her in. She had only been gone a week, but it had felt indefinitely longer. And that was the problem. He knocked on the doorframe to make his presence known. 

Sabrina jumped, not expecting anyone. “Nick, hey,” she breathed, trying to regain her footing. He had made himself scarce when she got home and she hadn’t expected him. 

“Hey,” he said, leaning against the door frame. “I know you just got home, but I wanted to see if we could talk later?” He didn’t want to catch her off guard, give her time to mentally prepare. He’d had a week to do it, after all. 

She shrugged, trying to play it off. “We can talk now, I’m mostly done unpacking, anyway.” She pushed her suitcase further onto her bed. “Do you want to sit?” 

Nick shook his head. “I’ll stand.” What he had to say was best said with some physical distance between them. He came into the room and closed the door behind him, though, not willing to risk being overheard. 

“Okay … so, what did you want to talk about?” Sabrina sat down on the edge of her bed, her hands in her lap. 

“How was New York?” Nick asked, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. 

A small smile appeared on her face. “It was great. Roz and I were running around the city like lunatics, trying to visit as many sights as we could.” She stopped herself when she saw the expression on his face. He looked serious, like he came to her room with a mission. She could guess what it was. “But I get the feeling that that’s not what you really wanted to talk about. So ... what is it?” 

He didn’t have it in him to make any more small talk. “We ... No. I’ve had some time to think over the last couple of days and I think it’s time we stop.” 

“Stop what?” She found herself asking. 

Nick looked at her for a moment before answering. “You know what, Sabrina. This thing we’ve been doing.” 

“Why? Because of what happened the morning after prom?” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words. 

Her reaction brought a sad smile to his face. “Yes. Me asking you on a date the morning after we had sex.” He didn’t have the same problem, but her cringing at his blunt remark told him what he needed to know. 

On their first night in New York, Sabrina had spilled about what happened to Roz, the events finally catching up with her when they decided to save their energy for the next day and grabbed pizza to eat in their hotel room. Slowing down gave her time to think and a while later, she had cried with her head in her friend’s lap, overwhelmed by the whole situation. Prom and everything after had left a mess in her head that felt impossible to overcome. 

The months of her casual arrangement with Nick that they never put a label on, prom, that talk with Harvey, spending the night with Nick and then the possibility of Harvey actually having a point ... it had all built up rapidly. Talking through it all with Roz helped her see things clearer and in the end, Sabrina had even been on board with the idea of taking Nick up on that date offer. Maybe … maybe there was nothing to be afraid of, after all. Maybe Nick was right and they’d never end up as broken, even if that date didn’t go well or turned out to be weird. 

But Nick had come to a different conclusion. So Sabrina bit her tongue. 

“I got caught up in the situation,” Nick continued, internally cringing at his lie. He had known exactly what he was doing and saying what he needed to say now hurt. A lot. But he had to, for his own sake. “That wasn’t fair to you, I’m sorry. But everything that happened, also over the last few months … I had some time to think while you were gone and I think it’s time we put a stop to this. Leave this behind as part of our last year in high school. Start over in New Orleans with some clear lines drawn. We’ll have enough to worry about with school and living on our own. We don’t need to add to that with blurred lines.” 

Sabrina kneaded her hands in her lap while he spoke, a feeling of dread settling over her. He had obviously spent a lot of time crafting his arguments and her epiphany in New York had come too late. “Yeah … I mean, you’re right. There’s enough to figure out without added baggage,” she agreed quickly, not looking at him. Sabrina took a deep breath to steel herself. “Besides, we got it out of our system anyway, right? No need to keep this up.” No matter how flippant she tried to be about the situation, the words felt like twisting a knife, even if she would never admit that out loud. 

He very much had not gotten Sabrina Spellman out of his system, and Nick saw right through her. The look on her face didn’t match her words. But she was putting up walls again, so he needed to do the same. “We did.” 

“A lot more than we thought. I mean …" She waved in the general direction of his room in a dismissive manner, still avoiding his gaze by looking over his shoulder. Sabrina bit the inside of her cheek to keep her facial features in check. “So … this is it, I guess. Friends?” 

Nick tried to catch her eyes with his, but she kept avoiding him. “This is it. Friends,” he quietly confirmed. 

She nodded as she got up. “Okay”, her voice was just as quiet as she looked at her suitcase. 

He followed her gaze and swallowed the lump in his throat, taking it for what it was: a silent request to leave. “I should let you finish unpacking.” He opened the door. “I’ll see you at dinner.” 

Sabrina turned her back to him even before Nick walked through the doorway as he left, holding her breath until the door clicked shut behind him again. She grabbed a slightly crinkled shirt from her suitcase and folded it up neatly, putting it on the pile of clothing she hadn’t needed during the trip after all. She took a stuttering breath while she worked, telling herself that the tears burning in her eyes were just allergies, that this did not hurt at all and definitely did not feel like some sort of breakup. 

It was the right thing to do. A fresh start for them in New Orleans, without any stupid arrangements. She had more than gotten him out of her system, it was time to move on. 

Nick took a few steps away from her closed door before he leaned against the wall, his eyes screwed shut as he took a deep breath to calm the storm that was raging inside him. He wanted to go back, tell her that all he had just said was bullshit and kiss her senseless. Instead, his hands felt like they were going to cramp soon from the force of his closed fists. 

“So you did it,” Ambrose observed quietly. He had expected this when he noticed Nick going upstairs a while after Sabrina and decided to follow. “Are you okay?” 

Nick opened his eyes and looked at him wearily. “No, I’m not,” he confessed. “But it was the right thing to do. Now we can both move on with our heads held high. Find a routine for when we move to Louisiana.” He pushed himself off the wall and walked past Ambrose to the door to his own room. Upon entering, he was flooded with memories and almost recoiled. “I think I’m going to take a walk,” Nick declared. 

“Want some company?” Ambrose knew heartbreak when he saw it – and it came off the younger man in front of him in waves. 

Nick shook his head. “I need to be alone right now. Get my head back on straight. But thank you, Ambrose. For everything.” He grabbed his phone and quietly left, leaving Ambrose to look after him. When Nick’s steps died down, he thought he heard crying from behind Sabrina’s door, but as he approached, any possible sounds were drowned out by music, so he decided to check on her later, give her time to digest the whole situation first. As much fun as he’d had riling his cousin up, he’d provide a shoulder for her to cry on in a heartbeat if she needed it. 


	10. Restore Our Innocence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all,
> 
> so I'm still having a hard time to put into words what was going through my head reading the reactions to the last chapter. I was really scared to post it for probably obvious reasons, so thank you very much for the lovely comments and coming along for that particular rollercoaster ride!
> 
> Now, let me please introduce you to an original character I'm really excited for you to meet :-) Comments are of course always very much appreciated!

_'Cause we are broken  
What must we do to restore our innocence  
And all the promise we adored?  
Give us life again  
'Cause we just wanna be whole_

_(Paramore – We Are Broken)_

“Can you put it a little more to the left?” Sabrina asked, her head slightly tilted to the side. Nick was on a stepladder, trying to find the perfect spot for a poster. They had been to a flea market earlier and spotted some vintage horror posters that she had immediately fallen in love with. On the way home, they had gotten some frames for the posters and after putting up a few in the living room, the last two were going up in her room. 

“You just told me more to the right, Spellman,” Nick answered, shaking his head. 

“You went too far right,” She explained, rolling her eyes when he huffed. She watched as he moved the framed poster of the 1932 version of The Mummy. “Stop! That’s the spot!” She stepped closer and took the frame from him after he marked the spot on the wall where the nail needed to go with a pencil. 

“Great, now we just need to find a spot for Dracula,” he said, stepping down from the ladder after securing the framed poster for the Karloff movie. “Any ideas yet?” 

Sabrina looked around her room. The Mummy poster was over her nightstand, but she didn’t want to put Dracula over her bed. “Hm … how about over the desk? There’s no direct sunlight, so the Count won’t burn to a crisp.” She smiled innocently when he snorted. “What?” 

Still chuckling, Nick grabbed the ladder, suddenly realizing that she had done the same with the poster of the old silent movie version of Nosferatu in their living room. “Only you, Spellman,” he answered, getting up a couple of steps again. “Hand me that frame.” He placed the frame in the middle of the wall over the desk. “How about this?” 

She shook her head. “I want to add a magnet board or something like that later, that needs space. More to the right?” Nick moved the frame, waiting for her to stop him. “Right there,” she decided when she figured there was enough space for a board to pin notes to without having the wall look cramped. 

They once more repeated the action of her holding the frame while he put the nail in the wall and securing the frame. Sabrina looked around her room. They had moved in a few months ago and the apartment slowly started to feel like home. Mundane things like putting up wall decoration certainly helped with that. 

After walking on eggshells around each other for the better part of summer, Sabrina and Nick had slowly drifted back into the direction of the easy friendship they had before things went south. Sabrina had approached Nick a few days before they moved, needing to say something before they left Greendale. 

_Sabrina knocked on Nick’s doorframe, alerting him to her presence as he was putting some of the books he wanted to take with him in a box._

_“Hey, do you have a moment?”_

_He shrugged, neatly stacking the books before carefully putting them away. “Sure. What’s up?”_

_She came in and closed the door, which got Nick’s attention. They hadn’t been alone in a room like this since he had ended whatever had been going on between them._

_He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself, as if to shield herself. “I owe you an apology, Nick,” she started._

_“For what?” His brow was furrowed as he looked at her, the books forgotten._

_Sabrina took a deep breath. This had been easier in her head. “For being so scared. I … I was so scared of things changing and not working out that I pushed you away. I let my fear of something going wrong get the best of me. Ironically, I let my fear of losing you destroy everything. And I’m so sorry, Nick.”_

_He didn’t know what to say. He just took her in, the way she looked around the room, anywhere but him, her arms still wrapped around her middle. That wasn’t the Sabrina Spellman he knew. The Sabrina he knew was witty and brazen and passionate and fearless. What had happened between them had clearly left its mark._

_“We said that we would go back to being friends,” she continued, a sad smile on her face. “But we really haven’t, have we? We don’t talk like we used to. We’re civil around each other, but it feels wrong. Like we’re strangers.” Sabrina couldn’t stop the humorless laugh that spilled out of her as she fought down the tears she felt welling up in her eyes. “I know it’s my own fault, but I miss my best friend. I miss you. And I’m scared again. I’m scared that I broke everything beyond repair.” A tear fell and she quickly wiped it away. She didn’t want to cry in front of him._

_“Sabrina …" Nick couldn’t stand to see her cry. He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “I miss you, too,” he mumbled into her hair, his hand rubbing soothing circles into her back when he felt her taking a shuddering breath._

_“I just … I didn’t want us to move without apologizing. I needed you to know how sorry I am,” she babbled as she cautiously wrapped her arms around him as well._

_He didn’t think, he acted on impulse as he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. “We’ll be okay, Spellman. It might take some time, but we’ll be okay, I promise.”_

Things had gotten better after that and they had found their footing again. The new location definitely helped with that, too. There were still awkward moments now and then – like a couple of weeks ago when they had sat on the couch, a lazy Sunday spent watching movies instead of studying like they should have been. 

They had grabbed some pastries from the bakery around the corner and some powdered sugar had somehow smudged her cheek. Nick had wiped it away without thinking and they had frozen when the gesture caught up to them. It had taken all her willpower not to pull him in for a kiss. Instead, she had cleared her throat and moved away from his touch, focusing again on the movie. They weren’t quite as, as Ambrose had often put it, “touchy” as they had been, but sometimes they allowed themselves to relax enough around each other to just go for a hug after a long, exhausting day or cuddling on the couch. 

Sabrina missed that the most about how things had been before. Before that stupid mistletoe. In bad moments, she still cursed her cousin. That had been the root of all evil, or at least that’s what she told herself. It was easier than to admit that it had just been the spark that ignited the fire. But moments like this, when they were working together to turn their apartment into a place that felt like home, made her confident that they could eventually get back to that place. 

Nick folding up the stepladder brought her back to the present. “Any ideas what you want for dinner yet?” She asked. Sabrina had offered to cook earlier since he’d been the one putting up decorations in the apartment. 

“How about we just order pizza?” 

She smiled. “Remember the look on aunt Hilda’s face when she saw the stash of old takeout containers and pizza boxes we forgot to get rid of before they got here for my birthday? She’d be appalled at that suggestion.” 

Nick laughed. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that lecture.” Hilda had sat them down on their couch and paced back and forth for a good ten minutes, drilling into their heads the importance of healthy food and homecooked meals. They had sat there like children getting scolded for stealing a cookie before dinner. 

“And yet you suggest we order pizza,” Sabrina shook her head. 

He shrugged. “Your aunt’s not around, is she? Are you going to rat me out?” 

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll grab the menu.” 

Sabrina fondly remembered her aunts visiting for her birthday. They had offered to come instead of Sabrina and Nick travelling to Greendale for the usually big and boisterous birthday celebration, given that they were still in the phase of settling into their new life. It had been by far the smallest birthday party for as long as Sabrina could remember and she had missed her cousin fiercely. The four of them had gone out to eat, despite Hilda protesting how she’d cook in their tiny kitchen. Afterwards, they had headed to Frenchmen Street and got swept up in the Halloween festivities. Sabrina had fallen asleep that night with a big smile on her face. 

**********

By the middle of November, Sabrina had gotten restless. Between classes and a job at the check-out at the local library, there was nothing to occupy her time with. Plus, she really missed Salem. The decision to leave him behind in Greendale had been a hard one that had also involved a lot of tears when it was time to say goodbye, but it was better this way. Salem was used to come and go as he pleased – here, he would have been cooped up in their apartment constantly. 

So when Caroline, a girl that she had several education and history classes with and who had quickly become a friend, had suggested that Sabrina should check the animal shelters if they were looking for volunteers for their cats, she had done just that. Her first shift had been two weeks later and when Sabrina came home, she had the biggest smile on her face. It was just what she needed. 

Nick, who sat at their dining table, nose in his book and furiously scribbling down notes, looked up when she closed the front door. “You look happy,” he noted. 

Sabrina hung up her jacket and toed off her shoes. “I am. Volunteering at the shelter was a genius idea, I seriously need to get something for Caroline as a thank you.” She plopped down on the chair next to him. “What are you working on?” 

“I’m trying not to smash my head into the table for being stupid enough to take a class solely focusing on James Joyce’s Ulysses. This is like pulling teeth,” he said, pointing at the book that could probably also be used as a murder weapon. 

She chuckled and tousled his hair. The fact that he didn’t even protest the action spoke volumes. “Poor you. Want me to make some coffee?” 

“Please. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon,” he answered. 

A few minutes later, Sabrina placed a mug in front of him. 

“You’re a saint, Spellman,” Nick said, taking a sip. She had sat down next to him again, watching him with big, innocent eyes. Something was up. “Okay, spit it out. I know that look.” 

Sabrina took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking.” 

“That’s never good.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Charming. Really.” Nick shrugged, a small smile on his face. “How would you feel about getting a cat?” 

He looked at her for a moment before he started laughing. “I knew this would happen the second you told me about volunteering at the shelter.” 

“So is that a yes to me bringing a cat home?” 

It was his turn to take a deep breath. “It’s a let’s be practical for a second. The cat would be stuck in the apartment 24/7.” 

“There are a lot of cats at the shelter who know nothing else. It’s not like with Salem who can go outside whenever he wants.” Her eyes had gone wider again. “So?” 

“Let’s say, just for the sake of the argument, that we get a cat here. What are we going to do when we’re done with college?” Nick was aware that she wasn’t going to back down easy. 

“We take it back with us to Greendale, of course.” 

“And what about Salem?” 

She furrowed her brow. “What about him?” 

“How do you think Salem will take it when he doesn’t have all of your attention anymore? He barely tolerates people grabbing your attention when he believes it should be his at the moment. Are you ready to handle two fighting cats on a daily basis?” 

Sabrina was quiet for a while before she huffed. “I hate it when you’re right, did I ever tell you that?” 

Nick laughed. “Sorry, Spellman. Now, other than your foiled plans to bring home a cat, how was the shelter?” 

Sabrina perked up again. “It’s actually really nice. They don’t have these big cages like some other shelters do with a lot of cats in them, it’s a lot of small rooms with two or three cats in each there. They’re also really bright, every room has a window, and the rooms have a lot space for the cats to climb up, plus there are toys. It’s a really good place for them to wait to get adopted.” 

He smiled as started talking, the excitement radiating off of her. “How about the people there?” 

“Oh, they’re cool. There was another volunteer in today who gave me the big tour first, showed me where everything was and explained what to do.” 

“Sounds nice enough. What’s her name?” 

Sabrina bit her lip. “ _His_ name is Zach,” she answered. 

Nick raised an eyebrow. “A guy volunteering at the shelter? In their cat section?” 

She shrugged. “Yes, what about it?” 

“You know he’s probably just there to pick up girls, right?” The thought rubbed him the wrong way, but he pushed the feeling down. 

“That’s not …" she started, but stopped herself. 

“He asked you out, didn’t he?” When Sabrina didn’t answer at first, he already had his response. 

She threw her hands up. “Fine, yes, he asked me out.” 

“And?” 

“I turned him down. I mean, he’s nice enough, but it just didn’t click that way,” Sabrina explained. “Besides, it’d be weird seeing him at the shelter if the date went bad.” She felt weird talking about going – or rather not going – on a date with Nick. It felt like that topic was still too soon for them, considering their history. 

She pushed herself off her chair. “You know what, I’m going to start with dinner. Any special requests?” 

Nick was thankful for the change of topic. “How about spaghetti? Ulysses makes me crave some comfort food.” 

Sabrina laughed. “Alright, Spaghetti it is,” she confirmed before vanishing into the kitchen. 

He looked after her for a moment, something in him glad that she shot the other guy down, even though he didn’t have a right to feel that way. He never had. 

**********

_I'm not ready for Christmas_   
_Not gonna listen_   
_Don't even ask me cuz’ I'm tellin’ you_   
_I'm not unpackin’ my tinsel, puttin’ up mistletoe this year_   
_I'm gonna kiss it goodbye_

_(Alicia Witt – I'm Not Ready For Christmas)_

“Christmas, the season of grandmothers getting run over by reindeer all over the country. You have to love it,” Nick said. 

“When did you become such a grinch?” Sabrina asked, shaking her head. 

They were approaching one of the first Christmas parties of the year. Nick had been invited by a guy in one of his classes – Sabrina had already forgotten his name again – and dragged her with him, claiming that he needed her as a way out if his buddy decided to pester him about joining the fraternity again. 

“I’m not a grinch, I just don’t really feel it this year. Maybe it’s the lack of snow.” 

“That is a little weird, I’ll give you that.” Having grown up in New England, snow had been a given for both of them. Now she didn’t even need a jacket over her sleeveless dress. 

Since they had been told to dress for a Christmas themed party, she had used the excuse to get a new dress, one that had made Nick laugh out loud earlier. _“You look like a walking candy cane”_ , he had said, which was exactly the point of the striped dress that ended mid-thigh and the matching tights and headband. She had gotten a pair of suspenders for Nick, as well, with reindeer and little Santas on them – a bright contrast to his usual dark shirt and pants. Sabrina had been well aware that Nick would have never bought anything for the party himself and wouldn’t be caught dead if she had gotten him one of the Christmas-y shirts she had seen in the shop. But the suspenders seemed like something she could wear him down to put on, so she had gotten them on a whim. 

“How many people are at this thing?” Sabrina asked when they got closer to the fraternity house, the music already booming over the lawn and people standing outside with solo cups in their hands. 

“I have no idea, but maybe stay close? I’ll never find you again in there if I lose you, you’re too short, Spellman,” Nick teased and grabbed her hand. 

“Funny, really.” She rolled her eyes at his words but still held onto his hand. Better safe than sorry. Sabrina subconsciously moved closer when they entered the house and moved through the crowd. 

Nick maneuvered them to what she guessed was some sort of common room when she spotted a bar – an actual bar with a barkeeper. “Looks like they really went all out for this thing,” she commented, leaning closer so Nick would actually hear her over the music. 

“I was told that this is nothing compared to their spring break party,” he replied. Sabrina wasn’t sure what to make of that piece of information. 

“Nick, you made it!” A guy she had never seen before approached. He reminded her a bit of Harvey: tall, shaggy brown hair as far as she could tell, kind eyes. But he carried himself with a completely different aura of confidence. He wore a waistcoat with Christmas trees on it and a top hat and somehow managed to pull it off. “And I see you brought your girlfriend, welcome to our humble abode!” 

Sabrina’s eyes slightly widened and she felt Nick shift. “There’s nothing humble about this place, Tom, and you know it,” he answered. “And we’re not, I mean, she’s not … this is my roommate, Sabrina.” 

Tom laughed. “Could have fooled me, with the way you’re holding hands.” 

She hadn’t even realized that she was still holding Nick’s hand and broke the contact. “That was self-preservation, I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd two seconds in,” the blonde tried to save face. “Sabrina Spellman. Roommate, best friend and definitely not girlfriend,” she introduced herself. 

He took the hand she offered and made a show of kissing its back. “The famous Sabrina, Nick talks about you a lot. Thomas Torrance, but please, call me Tom. Also: No relation to Jack.” 

Sabrina laughed. “That’s good to know.” 

He looked at Nick. “Since this beautiful lady is not your girlfriend, would you mind if I steal her for a dance or ten?” 

Nick forced himself to smile. “That’s something you need to ask Sabrina.” He didn’t exactly like the thought of Tom dancing with her, but it was her decision to make, not his. 

Tom looked at her, a winning smile on his face. “What do you say?” 

He seemed nice enough, so she nodded. “Sure, why not?” Was she imagining things or did the smile on Nick’s face become forced? No, she was definitely imagining things. 

“Since there are way too many people here for me to find you again, I hope I’ll see you at home. Otherwise, it was nice knowing you,” Nick joked, pushing away his discomfort. 

“Oh please. You always find me, Scratch,” she threw over her shoulder as Tom led her away. 

Nick made his way to the bar and ordered a beer, more than ready to not think about a guy he met in class dancing with Sabrina. 

“So, I’m surprised you and dear Nicholas are not together. You weren’t even here for five minutes and people were already whispering about a hot couple that had just arrived. Besides, you’re living together off campus,” Tom asked as he led Sabrina to another room. She noticed sofas and armchairs that had been pushed to the wall to create a dancefloor. 

“You can’t tell me that all the people here know each other,” she said, avoiding his question. 

“No, of course not. But you walked past the right people on the way in. So, how come you are only roommates?” 

Sabrina bit the inside of her cheek. She didn’t know what Nick had told Tom about her. “We met in third grade, have been best friends since then. It just never came up. And we decided to share an apartment because it’s cheaper.” The extremely simplified version of their story sounded ridiculous to her own ears, but she wasn’t about to give up any more details to someone she literally just met. “Now, I thought you wanted to dance?” 

He laughed. “True. Shall we dance, then, milady?” He tipped his top hat. 

“You did not just do that,” she laughed. 

They danced and talked until Tom was dragged away by one of his fraternity brothers because there was a “beer emergency” that needed his attention in the kitchen. Sabrina wandered back to the room where they had left Nick behind and saw him at the bar with a tall, pretty brunette with long, straight hair who had her hand on his biceps and was leaning into his space, obviously trying to give him a view of her cleavage. He didn’t seem to mind at all, judging from the flirty grin on his face Sabrina was well acquainted with herself. 

She wanted to turn around, really not in the mood to see him with another girl. Maybe she could find Tom and help out with whatever emergency he had to deal with. Sabrina turned on her heel and nearly collided with someone. 

“Now you are a candy cane I’d like to get a taste of,” the guy said, eyeing her up and down. While she appreciated that he made the connection, the bad line ruined everything. 

“Not tonight, buddy,” she answered and tried to step around him. 

“That’s not a complete no,” he noticed. “I’m Caliban.” 

“Sabrina.” Damn aunt Hilda for drilling into her brain to always introduce herself when someone else did the same because it was the polite thing to do. 

“Pretty name for a pretty girl,” he drawled and Sabrina had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Just what she needed, a weird guy trying to – what, use the top ten of his worst pick-up lines? “Can I get you a drink?” Caliban nodded towards the bar. 

Against her will, Sabrina looked over there and saw the girl’s hand had traveled from Nick’s arm to his shoulder. “No, I’m good, thanks,” she replied, definitely not in the mood to go over there as she turned her back to the bar. “I’m actually going to find a place where I can sit down for a few minutes.” Her hopes of him getting the hint were immediately shattered. 

“I can show you the quieter spots around the house and keep you company,” Caliban offered and took a step towards her. 

Sabrina cringed internally and hoped it didn’t show on her face. She felt cornered and uncomfortable with him this close to her and she was looking for any excuse to get away. She spotted Tom coming towards them and – why the hell was he wearing blinking antlers instead of this top hat? 

“ _It's Christmas time again, it's time to be nice to the people you can't stand all year_ ,” he sang along to the song currently blasting through the house. “Caliban! I haven’t seen you all night, great shirt!” Tom greeted him and Sabrina had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing. “Some of our frat brothers are trying to look up pervy Greek statues in the kitchen, maybe you want to give them some pointers?” He turned his attention to Sabrina and put his arm around her shoulders. “Sabrina, I need your opinion on a matter of utmost importance.” 

Caliban narrowed his eyes at him for a second before accepting the obvious dismissal and sending Sabrina a smirk. “I’ll see you later.” 

“I hope not,” she mumbled under her breath when he walked away, but still loud enough for Tom to hear her who laughed. 

“Don’t mind Caliban. He’s got a big thing for pottery and sculpting, but things with a pulse and more than three brain cells are not exactly in his wheelhouse of expertise.” 

“You don’t say,” she deadpanned. “You are a lifesaver, though. Thank you,” Sabrina added, a smile on her face. “Now, what did you need my opinion on? It sounded serious.” 

Tom looked at her, a serious expression on his face. “Now, as I said, this is really important, so I need you to think about this long and hard.” He pressed a button on his antlers and they started blinking in rainbow colors rapidly. “What’s better: This or the steady white lights?” He pressed the button again to change the light effect. 

Sabrina threw her head back in laughter. “That’s your matter of utmost importance?” 

He looked offended. “Woman, is this a joke to you?!” 

She cleared her throat and bit the inside of her cheek, trying to put on a serious face. She succeeded … mostly. “Of course not,” she amended. “I think the steady lights are better. The other setting would probably make people dizzy.” 

He looked at her for a moment, pondering her words, then nodded. “Alright. You might have just saved people from falling at my feet. But now that I think about it …" he grinned and reached up to his antlers, but then put his hand down again. “Nah, wouldn’t want to cause scabbed knees.” 

Sabrina shook her head, a smile on her face. She was definitely glad to have met Tom tonight. “I’m sure your adoring fans will be thankful for your mercy.” 

“Oh, I’ll be sure to let them know that they owe it to you,” Tom said. Something over her shoulder caught his eye. “Ah, I see that Julia has found her next victim.” 

“Who?” Sabrina had a suspicion who he was talking about. 

“The girl who is trying her best to take dear Nicholas home tonight,” he explained nodding towards the bar. 

She looked at them and feigned surprise. “Oh, I didn’t see them over there,” she lied. “What do you mean, her next victim?” 

Tom shrugged. “Let’s put it this way: If she spent only half as much time on studying as she does on adding conquests to her belt, she wouldn’t have failed several classes last semester.” 

“Can’t wait to meet her.” The sarcasm was obvious and Tom raised an eyebrow. She took a deep breath. 

“Looks like Nick doesn’t mind,” he commented, trying to get another rise out of Sabrina. When she didn’t take the bait, he pushed the thought aside. He had obviously imagined things. “Anyway, there are a few people you should meet and help me convince that the antlers are definitely a good look.” 

She smiled. “Lead the way then. I can be pretty convincing if I want to be.” She also didn’t mind putting some distance between herself and that bar. 

**********

Hours later, Sabrina kicked her shoes off the second she stumbled through the door to the apartment. “Why did I wear heels again, Nick?” She asked, looking at the shoes as if they had personally offended her. 

“Because you wanted to see what was on top of the bar for once?” He asked, laughing when she glared at him. 

“You should think about becoming a comedian. Let me help you look for the next open mic night,” she grumbled and plopped down on their couch, a happy sigh coming over her lips when she put her feet up. 

Nick lifted her legs up and dropped her feet in his lap when he sat down next to her. “Maybe you shouldn’t have spent so much time dancing with Tom, then your feet wouldn’t hurt as much.” 

“We didn’t dance all the time. We also debated with some of his friends for a while if antlers or a Santa hat was the better headwear for the party. The antlers won,” she informed him, grinning. 

“You seemed to get along,” he commented. When he noticed how Sabrina was trying to press her feet against the armrest of the couch to get some relief for her aching soles, he grabbed one of them and dug his thumb in, causing her to jump. 

“Damn, warn me next time, that hurt,” Sabrina complained before she relaxed again. 

“Want me to stop?” 

“Do you want to live long enough to see another Christmas at the mortuary?” 

He shook his head, grinning. “Your Zelda is showing.” 

Sabrina huffed. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She sighed again when Nick managed to relieve some of the pain in her foot. “And yes, Tom is a great guy. I like him. He was just a bit all over the place after a few of those candy cane colored jello shots.” 

“I think I heard something about him trying to limbo under the billiard table?” He raised an eyebrow when Sabrina closed her eyes. “Hey, don’t fall asleep on me, Spellman.” 

“I’m not,” she answered. “And yes, that happened. And then he fell flat on his back and decided to just stay there on the floor because the lights looked pretty. It was a whole thing.” 

Nick laughed, regretting that he hadn’t seen that. “I think I also saw you with this art student, I think his name is Caliban or something? Not exactly the kind of company I would have expected.” 

“Why is that?” She cracked an eye open as Nick picked up her other foot. 

“From what I heard about him from Tom, he’s pretty much chasing every short skirt he sees. Doesn’t seem like your kind of acquaintance.” 

“He didn’t really give me a choice, he came up to me,” Sabrina said, both eyes closed again. “But Tom saved me from that conversation, so no harm done.” She paused for a moment, debating if she should ask or not but ultimately throwing caution to the wind. “Did you meet any interesting people?” 

“Actually, I did.” He was quiet for a moment and she was about to ask for more information when he continued. “Her name is Julia, she started college last year. We talked for a while and …" 

“And?” Sabrina asked when he didn’t finish. 

“I asked her out,” he finally said. 

She opened her eyes. “You did?” Tom’s words replayed in her head and she considered telling Nick, but decided against it. 

“We’re meeting next week,” he confirmed. It was weird talking about a date to the girl next to him on the couch. 

“Well that’s … good then.” She didn’t really know what else to say. Sabrina pulled her feet away from his hands and sat up. “I think the evening is catching up with me, I should go to bed,” she said, pushing herself off the couch and testing her feet. They didn’t hurt as much anymore. 

Nick looked at his phone. 2:30 AM. “It’s late,” he commented, looking at Sabrina. He had noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor. “Everything okay, Spellman?” 

“Of course, just tired,” she waved it off, feigning a yawn. “Mind if I use the bathroom first? I’m dead on my feet.” 

He shook his head. “Sure, go ahead.” 

Sabrina forced a small smile on her face. “Thanks. Night, Nick.” 

“Night, Spellman,” he replied. 

She didn’t wait for him to say anything else as she left the living room, leaving him to look after her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Tom interrupts Sabrina and Caliban, he's singing along to "I Won't Be Home for Christmas" by blink-182.
> 
> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	11. The Season Of The Witch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> First of all, thank you so much for the lovely comments, they really make my day and give me an extra boost!
> 
> That being said - I realize that I'm a month early, but let's take the train to Halloween town, shall we?
> 
> Have fun and let me know what you think!
> 
> P.S.: I know, Season of the Witch is by Donovan, but do yourself a favor and listen to the Lana del Rey cover. That song is a big mood.

_When I look over my shoulder_   
_What do you think I see?_   
_Some other cat looking over_   
_Over the shoulder at me_   
_And he's strange, so strange_   
_He's very strange to me_   
_You've got to pick up every stitch_   
_Oh no, must be the season of the witch_

_(Lana del Rey – Season of the Witch)_

By the time spring break had come and gone, Sabrina and Nick had firmly settled into their life in New Orleans and found a group of friends that made being away from home easier. Caroline and Tom had introduced them to more people, but the four of them quickly formed a tight-knit group of friends that made the stress of college a lot more bearable. 

Nick had started dating the girl he met at the Christmas party and was completely smitten – much to Sabrina’s distaste. It wasn’t the fact that he had a girlfriend that bothered her. She was definitely, 100 percent not jealous. The problem was that she didn’t trust Julia further than she would be able to throw her. The other girl seemed to like the fact that Nick didn’t need to worry about money a bit too much and was cold, calculating and downright insulting whenever he wasn’t around, trying to mark her territory if Caroline was right. But the second he appeared, Julia became sickeningly sweet and the perfect face of innocence. 

Sabrina had tried to talk to Nick about it, but to no avail. He didn’t see it and after a few attempts, Sabrina found herself resorting to fight fire with fire instead, she hadn’t been raised by Zelda Spellman for nothing. If Julia wanted war, she could have it. But it still hurt every single time Nick chose to not believe her and took Julia’s side instead. 

When October rolled around, Sabrina was up to her hairline in work. University as well as the shelter and the occasional date kept her busy, but she was glad for it. This way, she had less time to fight with Nick about his obvious blindness when it came to his girlfriend. They had come to an agreement of sorts to just not talk about her anymore to keep the peace and it worked mostly – but all bets were off when the other girl spent the night at the apartment. Sabrina usually fled the place if she knew beforehand, staying with Caroline or even Tom instead. 

On a night when she didn’t get a warning, she decided to just stick it out in her room and rearranged her furniture a bit. As she had pushed the bookshelf further into the corner, she discovered a hidden space in the wooden panels she hadn’t noticed when they moved in and put all the furniture up. When Sabrina told Nick about it the next morning, he had been just as surprised, not just at the find but also at the fact that she hadn’t taken a look inside yet. 

Once they managed to pry it open, Sabrina had jumped at the sight of an old doll with a porcelain head, wearing a Victorian dress. The doll was creeping her out, the way its dead glass eyes stared sending a shiver down her spine. While she loved a good horror movie, she didn’t really care for the fact that this doll and nothing else had been hidden in the wall of her room for over a year. 

Nick had taken it out to the trash, not exactly a fan of the doll, either, but also not exactly as convinced as Sabrina that the thing was haunted. However, when he was about to throw it away, an idea struck him and he took it back upstairs. It was October, after all. 

“Nick? I thought you got rid of the doll?” Sabrina asked from the living room a few days later. 

He was in his room, grinning as he answered. “I did, why?” 

“Because it’s sitting right here, staring at me,” she stated, sounding anything but happy. 

When Nick was sure that he’d be able to keep his facial expressions under control, he joined her. “What the hell? I threw that thing in the dumpster downstairs,” he said, his brow furrowed. 

“I told you, that thing is haunted. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know how this will go,” Sabrina explained, her eyes on the doll. 

Nick came up to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s just a doll, Spellman. I’ll take it downstairs when I’m meeting Tom later.” 

“’It’s just a doll’ - those are famous last words, Scratch,” she informed him. “I think I’ll go grocery shopping, it’s my turn anyway. Please get rid of it by the time I’m back? That thing gives me the creeps.” 

“Sure thing.” He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. Sabrina would kill him for this sooner or later, but it was so worth it. 

A few days later, Sabrina and Nick got home from a night at a bar with their friends, laughing as they walked in the front door about Tom trying and failing to balance a stack of empty shot glasses on his chin. It had been a good thing that they were made from plastic. 

When Sabrina turned on the lights, she yelped and jumped, Nick catching her. The doll was sitting on the floor, staring at the door. 

“Nick? How is that thing still here?” She asked, not taking her eyes off it. 

“I have no idea. I swear, I took it downstairs.” His hand was still at the small of her back and he could feel how rigid her entire posture had become. For a second, he debated confessing, but Sabrina had pulled enough small pranks on him when they were growing up that he reconsidered. He stepped around and picked the doll up. “I’ll get rid of it. Don’t worry, Spellman.” 

“Thanks,” she said, her shoulders sagging in relief as she closed the apartment door behind him. She had barely taken off her shoes and gone to her room when the front door opened again. “That was quick,” she mumbled to herself, her mouth dropping open when she saw Nick going to his room with the doll in his hand through the crack in her ajar door. That bastard. She’d of course had had her suspicions, but seeing her theory proven right was something entirely different. “Oh, you’re on, Scratch,” Sabrina promised herself, a plan already forming in her head. 

**********

A few days later, Sabrina poured a generous amount of fake blood on the wooden floor in the living room and checked the clock again. Nick should be home in a few minutes, he had sent a text that he was on his way home with the groceries she had asked him to pick up on his way home. 

“Think this is enough?” She asked Caroline, looking at the puddle. She had placed some clear film underneath as to not ruin the floor and was thankful for the shiny floor for once. 

Her friend nodded. “Looks good. Remember, I need some to pour over your wound once you’re on the floor.” 

“Right. Okay – I think we’re all set, right?” Sabrina looked around the room. She had grabbed the doll from Nick’s room and placed it on the floor, close to where she was going to lie in a puddle of blood soon enough. One of their kitchen knives had already been dipped in the blood and was lying next to the doll. The fake wound was placed on her shirt and Caroline would pour some of the blood over her. 

The redheaded girl looked at the doll. “Should we put a few drops of blood on Chucky’s bride here?” 

Sabrina bit her bottom lip, thinking. “Sure, why not.” 

Caroline grabbed the blood and sprinkled the doll with it, the red drops a stark contrast to the light dress. “Alright, you should get on the floor. Let me mess you up with this stuff.” 

The blonde lay down in the puddle on the floor and cringed as the cool liquid seeped through her top. “This is so gross.” 

“You’re not backing out now, are you?” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Of course not. But it’s still gross.” 

Caroline poured some of the thick liquid over the wound, hiding the edges where they had fixed it to the shirt. “Are you sure you’re not ruining your shirt with this?” 

“The guy in the store said it wouldn’t be a problem. I’m counting on that.” 

“Think I should add a trickle of blood to the corner of your mouth? For dramatic effect,” Caroline asked, looking at her handywork. 

“I’m not sure I want to get this stuff in my mouth or my hair,” Sabrina said, looking at the dark liquid again. 

“Good point.” 

“And I think this looks dramatic enough,” she added. A car stopped in front of the house, followed by a door slamming shut. “That’s probably Nick. Quick, get the lights.” 

Caroline turned on the flashlight on her phone before shutting down the lights and getting into her hiding spot, which would give her a perfect view of Nick and Sabrina but he wouldn’t see her. She turned the flashlight off and switched to the camera, waiting. 

About a minute later, the door opened. 

“Spellman? You home?” Nick asked, confusion clear in his voice. His keys jingled as he fumbled with the groceries, trying to shut the front door and get the light switch at the same time. “Sabrina?” He asked again when he didn’t get an answer. 

She kept her eyes shut but still noticed when the lights turned on. She heard him take a few steps, stopping abruptly. Sabrina felt the vibration as the grocery bags dropped to the floor. 

“Sabrina,” he whispered, his voice gone. Quick steps followed before the dropped to his knees beside her, mumbling “no, oh God, no, please” as he moved. 

Sabrina forced herself to hold her breath once he was close enough to notice her breathing. She tried to relax her body as Nick pulled her into his arms, getting fake blood all over his clothes. “Please don’t do this to me, Spellman,” he whispered, his voice choked up as she lay motionless in his arms and he pressed a trembling kiss to her temple. “Ambulance, I-I need to call an ambulance.” He was talking to himself, holding her up against him with one arm and fumbling for the phone in his pocket with the other hand. “What the hell,” Nick blurted out when he finally spotted the bloodied doll. 

“Nick?” she asked carefully. His eyes snapped back to her and she couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across her face at the wide-eyed expression on his. “Gotcha.” 

“What?” He looked her over, almost frantic. That’s when he noticed the edges of the clear film on the floor. Nick’s gaze landed on her face again, the grin spreading wider. “You’re okay. This was just a joke,” he noted, his tone defeated. “You’re okay,” he repeated, pulling her against him again. 

“Yes, I’m okay,” she answered, chuckling as she wrapped her arms around him. “Nick?” Sabrina grew concerned when he buried his face in the crook of her neck and started trembling. 

“You scared the shit out of me, Sabrina,” he mumbled. “I thought you were gone. You weren’t moving, all the blood … dammit, Sabrina, I thought I had lost you!” 

Her concern grew with every word he said. She combed her hand through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. “I’m sorry, I … I mean, yes, I wanted to scare you, but … Nick, everything’s okay. I’m sorry, I took it too far.” Her eyes widened when she felt tears hit her skin. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, holding him close, alarmed at how he was clinging to her. She felt horrible. This had been a huge mistake, she should have found another way to get back at him. This was way too extreme and she had seriously hurt Nick in the process. 

“Don’t scare me like that ever again, I can’t take it,” Nick warned her. 

“I promise,” Sabrina answered quickly, dragging her nails over his scalp in an attempt to calm him down. 

“Swear it … on the doll that freaked you out so much,” he stopped trembling and pulled back, a grin on his face that matched her own earlier. 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You were playing with me,” the blonde realized. “When? When did you realize it was fake?” 

Nick pressed another kiss to her temple, still grinning. “I felt you breathing when I pulled you up. And you weren’t as relaxed as you probably thought.” 

“Well played, Scratch. Well played,” Sabrina mumbled as she let go of him. 

“You, too. You really did scare the shit out of me at first, it looked pretty convincing,” he answered. 

Caroline had caught the whole exchange on her phone and stopped the recording. So Nick had seen through the prank and decided to get back at Sabrina right away. There was just one thing he hadn’t taken into account: her. She snuck out of her hiding place behind Nick’s back and motioned for Sabrina to distract him. Once she was close enough, she leaned in: “Boo.” 

“Shit!” Nick jumped, caught completely off guard, his heart pounding as the girls laughed. Once the adrenaline wore off, he joined them. “Okay, you got me,” he admitted, shaking his head. “Hi, Caroline.” 

“Hey Nick,” she replied, grinning from ear to ear. 

Sabrina got off the floor, looking at the mess. “Okay, let’s clean this up.” She looked at her own clothes and at Nick, both messed up by the fake blood. “And we should change into something that doesn’t resemble the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” 

“You’re doing the laundry, Spellman,” Nick said, motioning at the blood stains. 

She sighed. “I guess I deserve that. Fine, I’m doing the laundry.” 

“And I’m taking out Annabelle here. For real, this time.” 

**********

When Nick got home from his classes, he heard Jamie Lee Curtis’ iconic scream even before he saw Sabrina curled up on the couch, a cup of ice cream in her hands as she watched Laurie Strode fight off Michael Myers. 

“Ah, a classic,” he commented as he sat down next to her. 

She shrugged. “I thought I’d treat myself, since it’s my birthday and all. I even got the good ice cream on the way home.” 

Nick grimaced at the tone. She had been in a funk all week, ever since her aunts had told her they wouldn’t be able to come down for her birthday. An accident on Sweetwater River has claimed several lives and the Spellman sisters had their hands full. It was the first birthday Sabrina wouldn’t be able to celebrate with her family and it had crushed her. Nick had held her after the call ended, Sabrina crying on his shoulder out of disappointment and also guilt – she had confessed that she felt terrible for crying about this when people had lost their loved ones, which just made her cry harder. 

After that, she had decided to spend the day on the couch after she got home from her classes, not feeling like celebrating at all. That’s how he found her, in shorts and an old shirt she had stolen from him years ago, long before he had moved to the mortuary. 

“Come on, get dressed. We’re going out,” he said, preparing himself for her protest. 

Sabrina shook her head. “I told you, Nick, I don’t want to go out today. I just want to sit here, watch movies, eat my body weight in ice cream and wallow in self-pity.” 

“I’m not going to let you do that on your 20th birthday, Spellman,” Nick informed her. A scream from the TV caught her attention and he grabbed the ice cream from her hands, holding it out of her reach. 

“Really? Give me my ice cream back,” she demanded, glaring at him. He felt about as threatened as if a kitten glared at him. 

He shook his head. “Can’t do that. Get dressed. The ice cream will still be here tomorrow. I won’t let you waste your birthday like this.” 

“I’m not wasting my birthday, I’m doing what I want to do with it,” she argued, trying to grab the cup, but he just stretched further. 

“I’m not going to let you sit here and feel sorry for yourself. Yes, it sucks that your aunts couldn’t visit, but we can still make the best of tonight. Come on. Let’s go out, grab something to eat and at least celebrate Halloween, if you’re so adamant about not wanting to celebrate your birthday.” He hoped that her favorite holiday would help to coax her out of her cocoon. 

“Even if I agreed to that, I don’t have a costume,” Sabrina replied, her eyes still fixed on the ice cream. 

Nick smiled. “Yes, you do. I know you finished it before your aunts had to cancel.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you just a fountain of knowledge today. What if I don’t want to dress up?” 

“Then put on some normal clothes and we’ll hit the streets as civilians,” he shrugged. 

“You have an answer to everything, don’t you?” 

The smile grew wider. “How long have we known each other, Spellman?” 

She pursed her lips. “Obviously too long.” He held her gaze until she sighed, defeated. “Fine. I’ll get dressed. But don’t expect me to be especially good company.” She pushed herself off the couch and went to her room. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Nick called after her. He put the lid on the ice cream and put it back in the freezer, shaking his head when he saw two more cups. She had really planned to go all out. 

He sat back down on the couch while he waited for her to change and pulled out his phone, checking his messages. Julia had sent him a photo of herself in her nurse’s costume that left too little to the imagination for his liking, but he wasn’t about to tell his girlfriend what to wear. It had been a struggle when he had told her he would spend the evening with Sabrina, Julia going off about how she had other friends and wasn’t his responsibility. She had tried bribing him with the promise of sex, but his mind had been made up; he wouldn’t let his best friend deal with this alone. Julia had huffed at that and Nick’s bed had been cold that night, but he didn’t regret his decision. 

Sabrina came out of her room, as he had expected not dressed up. Instead, she wore a short black skirt, a red top that showed off her shoulders and knee-high black boots. He noticed that she had put on a bit of makeup as well, but only enough to bring out her dark eyes even more, and the red lipstick she only left the house without in emergencies. 

“Ready to go?” he asked. 

“Sure. The sooner we go, the sooner we’re back,” she answered. 

So she was still not fully on board with going out. But … “Spellman, are you wearing fangs?” Nick wasn’t sure if he had seen right when she spoke. 

Sabrina shrugged. “Maybe. And maybe I’ll have to get rid of them when we get something to eat.” She held up a small box for the fake teeth. 

He grinned as he got off the couch and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he led her to the door. “I knew you couldn’t resist Halloween.” 

**********

About two hours later, they stumbled out of a pub in the French Quarter, laughing. “I can’t believe you did that,” Sabrina said. 

“What? So I flirted a little with the waitress. It got us free desert,” Nick shrugged, grinning. 

“The waitress was old enough to be our grandmother, Nick. And I’m pretty sure you dropping that it’s my birthday got us that desert.” She could have done without the sparklers, but she still appreciated the gesture. 

He put his arm around her shoulders. “Probably,” he conceded, “but flirting definitely sped things up.” 

She shook her head. “You are impossible.” Sabrina leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for dinner. You didn’t have to do that.” She had argued with him about paying for her own food, but he had insisted. 

“Don’t worry about it, birthday girl.” He gently moved her out of the way of a group of already drunk people, screaming something about heading to Bourbon Street next. “What do you want to do now? We went out, got something to eat – do you want to head back home?” He had dragged her out of the apartment, but if she still insisted that she wanted to spend the night in front of the TV, he would do that with her. 

She paused for a moment, then shook her head. “No. You were right, the ice cream will still be there tomorrow. Let’s follow these -” Sabrina tilted her head as she saw one of the guys that just passed them stumble over his own feet, “fine gentlemen and see what Bourbon Street has in store for us tonight.” 

“Fine gentlemen?” Nick raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been spending too much time with Tom.” 

She grinned. “You don’t get to complain, you more or less introduced us.” 

“And I’m really starting to wonder what I’ve done.” 

Sabrina laughed. “Come on, Scratch. It’s Halloween. Let’s see if we can find something actually spooky.” 

They wandered aimlessly around the French Quarter, quickly abandoning their plans to check out Bourbon Street when they saw the tourist masses. They ended up in front of a small voodoo shop in one of the smaller side streets, a plain paper sign in the window stating that they offered psychic readings. The shop looked tourist-y enough, but wasn’t as flashy as those on Bourbon Street. 

“What do you think, do you want to get a glimpse at your future?” Nick asked. 

Sabrina bit her bottom lip, considering the shop. “I don’t know.” 

“Scared?” 

She rolled her eyes. “No. But I’m not Hilda, I don’t believe in that stuff.” She jumped a little when the door suddenly opened with nobody in sight. “Okay, that was creepy.” 

Nick grinned. “You wanted spooky. Come on, let’s go. What’s the worst that could happen?” He grabbed her hand as he entered the shop. 

“Those are famous last words. You just jinxed this whole thing,” Sabrina warned him jokingly. 

“I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?” His tone was teasing, but she still narrowed her eyes at him. 

They approached the counter and Sabrina’s eyes widened slightly when she saw the display. Not as tourist-y as she expected. She quickly focused on the woman behind the counter instead who seemed harmless enough. 

“You’re here for a reading.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Uhm, I guess,” Sabrina looked at Nick for support, but he just shrugged, a small grin on his face as he watched her squirm. 

“What shall it be? Palm, cards, bones? Or perhaps a séance to let the spirits of loved ones guide you?” 

She shook her head. “I think cards will do.” The thought of trying to call on dead people, no matter how silly, still made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “How much?” 

The woman behind the counter shook her head, her big creole earrings jiggling. “Free. Consider it a birthday gift.” 

Sabrina looked at Nick again, but he held up his hands in defense. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t say anything, I’ve never been here before.” 

“I’m watching you, Scratch.” 

“Follow me,” the woman interrupted them, beckoning for them to follow her to the back room. “Sit.” She motioned for Sabrina to sit down at a small table, covered in black satin cloth, as she grabbed a set of cards. Nick hung back, his arms crossed in front his chest, watching for any signs that Sabrina was uncomfortable. The offhand comment about a gift had thrown him, too. How had she known? On the first sign that Sabrina wanted to leave, he was getting them out of there. 

The woman sat down opposite Sabrina. “Give me your hand,” she asked. Sabrina reached out and the psychic took her hand, placing it over the stack of cards on the table. “Now close your eyes and think of the question you want answered. Concentrate on it.” 

Sabrina did as she was told, feeling a bit silly. What was that supposed to do? After a moment, the woman lifted her hand again and grabbed the cards, shuffling them. Sabrina looked over her shoulder at Nick, but he just shrugged. 

The woman started drawing cards and put them on the table in a cross-like pattern. When she was done, she looked at her work for a second before she spoke. „You will have to overcome big challenges in the near future. There will be pain and suffering for you to endure. But if you put your faith in the man at your side, you will come out stronger.” 

“There is no man at my side,” Sabrina found herself saying. 

The woman looked at the cards again. Suddenly, she grabbed Sabrina’s hand and turned it over, tracing the lines in her palm. Nick started to move when she grabbed Sabrina’s hand, but the woman’s eyes snapped up, her gaze making him stay where he was. When she was sure he wouldn’t move, she focused on Sabrina again. “You have already met the man you will share the rest of your life with. You have to put your trust in him, let him help you work through the pain. You will be happy, but you have to allow it, first. Open your eyes to what’s hiding in the darkness.” 

Nick bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from speaking up. The thought, however stupid, that Sabrina has already met the guy she’d spend the rest of her life with didn’t sit right with him at all. 

“That’s not the question I was thinking about,” Sabrina said, feeling uncomfortable. She had thought about her family, asking, however stupidly, if they would lead good, long and happy lives. 

“But it is the one the cards decided to answer.” She lowered her gaze to Sabrina’s palm again. “The path of your life is laid out right here, fate lingering in the shadows, steering you towards where you’re meant to be.” 

Sabrina but her bottom lip as she felt goosebumps rise all over her body at the psychic’s words. She didn’t like thought of some unknown force navigating her through her life at all. 

“Anything else the cards want to say?” Nick asked and Sabrina turned in her chair, slightly surprised at his tone. He sounded strange, like something was bothering him. 

The woman looked up at him again, noticing his tense posture. “Why, do you want to go next?” 

He shook his head, holding her gaze. Nick felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up – it was if she saw right through him. “I’m good.” 

When they left the small shop a bit later, a small voodoo doll for Caroline in Sabrina’s purse because she knew the other girl would get a kick out of it, they both felt like they could breathe easier. 

“Okay, so that was weird, right?” Sabrina asked. 

“Really weird,” Nick agreed. He watched as she wrapped her arms around her middle and pulled her into a hug, which she readily returned. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, just … I don’t even know how to explain it,” she answered. 

Nick kissed her temple, an attempt to calm her down. “Sorry. That's not what I wanted for you today.” 

“It’s okay. You didn’t know what was going to happen when we walked in there, right?” 

“I had no idea. I swear.” He was still a little rattled himself, but he wouldn’t let that on for Sabrina’s sake. Nick took a deep breath and forced himself to smile. “You know, maybe she was talking about me,” he joked. 

Sabrina leaned back, her brow furrowed. “You?” 

He shrugged. “Why not? I mean, hoping that none of us will die a horrible death way too soon, I think the chances are pretty high that we’ll be in each other’s lives in some way until we’re old and wrinkly and can’t remember our own names.” 

She rolled her eyes at that, a small smile on her lips. “I don’t think that’s what she meant, but I like the thought.” She paused for a moment, scrunching up her nose. “Well, except for the part where we don’t remember our names, that’s just depressing.” 

He pulled her close again, smiling when she burrowed into his embrace. “I’ll always remember _your_ name, Spellman,” he mumbled into her hair. When he stepped away, he noticed how her eyes were slightly glazed over, but she shook her head at his questioning look. “Let’s get out of here. What do you want to do next?” 

Sabrina took a deep breath, trying to get a grip of herself. That small remark had thrown her in ways she didn’t want to think about right now. “How about one of those cemetery tours? I could really go for a tourist trap after this.” 

Nick laughed. “Alright, maybe we’ll stumble across Marie Laveau this time around.” They had done the tourist thing when they first moved to New Orleans and participated in one of those tours with a disappointing, if expected, lack of ghost sightings. Maybe they’d at least hire some actors for Halloween. 

**********

While on their ghost tour, Nick had exchanged a few text messages with Tom and Caroline, updating him about their current location and estimated time of arrival. Their friends were aware of his plans to get Sabrina’s spirits up and had insisted that the four of them should meet up for drinks, taking into account that Sabrina probably wouldn’t enjoy a big gathering, considering the circumstances. 

After the tour, Nick innocently suggested going for some drinks to end the night and quickly shot a text to their friends, telling them where to meet them. An immediate thumbs-up and later a picture of their location in the bar followed, letting him know they were already there. 

“You’ve been texting a lot,” Sabrina noted. 

“Just Tom. He’s drunk and you know how he gets.” Nick flinched a little at the white lie that would be cleared up soon enough. 

She grinned. “Is he thinking about doing karaoke again? Please tell him that ‘Like a Virgin’ is still a terrible idea.” 

He laughed, remembering that night out all too clearly. “I’ll let him know.” 

A few minutes later, Nick led her into the pub, Tom and Caroline jumping up as soon as they saw her. 

“There she is!” Tom proclaimed. 

Sabrina looked at Nick from the corner of her eye. “So he was drunk-texting you, hm?” 

He shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. “Sorry.” 

“Happy Birthday, Sabrina!” Sabrina squealed when Tom pulled her into his arms and swung her around. Nick bit the inside of his cheek at the scene, telling himself that it wasn’t bugging him. 

“Put me down!” she laughed, swatting at his shoulder. 

Once she was back on her feet, Tom spread his arms. “You sure you want me to put you down? I’m the Grim Reaper, I might put you down further than you’re asking for.” 

“Jesus, no more shots for you,” Caroline commented before pulling Sabrina into a hug as well. “Happy Birthday!” 

“We already saw each other this morning,” Sabrina said, returning the hug. 

“True, but you were scowling like grumpy cat on a bad day, so I didn’t go there.” 

She paused, then shrugged. “Okay, I’ll give you that. And by the way, you look amazing.” She grinned as Caroline did a pirouette, showing off her Merida costume. 

“Okay, let’s sit down and have some drinks,” Nick said, putting his arm over the back of the booth as Sabrina settled in next to him and Tom flagged down the waitress. 

“The first round is on me,” Sabrina stated, holding up her hand when Tom started to argue. “No, I’m paying. I’ve been in a bad mood all week, you guys were subjected to that and I’m sorry. So let me make it up to you with drinks.” 

“I’ll never say no to free alcohol,” Tom said, laughing when Caroline rolled her eyes. 

As the waitress brought their drinks, Tom pushed his phone into her hand, asking her to take a picture of them. Sabrina smiled when they checked their photo. The four of them were scooted together, all with wide, happy smiles on their faces. Nick’s arm tucking her tightly against him and his other hand was on Tom’s shoulder, who was giving Caroline bunny ears. 

“You are such an ass,” the redheaded girl grumbled, making the reset of the table laugh. 

“Send that to me, please? That picture needs to go up on the fridge,” Sabrina said. 

“Sure, hang on.” Tom tapped on his phone and Sabrina heard her own device ping at the new message. 

A while later, when Caroline dragged Sabrina to the bathroom because she might need help with her costume, Tom looked at Nick as he was taking a sip from his beer. 

“So, where’s your girlfriend? Julia usually isn’t someone who misses a party.” 

Nick took another gulp before he set his bottle down, starting to peel away the edges of the label. “I might have not told her about this. I told Julia that I would spend the evening with Sabrina because her family had to cancel. I knew she had already made plans to go to a Halloween party, so I didn’t exactly have to twist her arm not to come along.” 

“Sabrina would have loved that, to spend her birthday with Julia,” Tom muttered. He was still fascinated how someone as intelligent as Nick couldn’t seem to figure out just how big the animosity between his best friend and his girlfriend was – and how much his tendency to take Julia’s side hurt the girl he had known for the better part of his life. 

Nick nodded. “I didn’t want there to be any sniping tonight. And I knew Julia would have come here if I had told her we’d meet up with you and Caroline, so I left that part out.” 

Tom raised his eyebrow. “You lied to her.” 

“Only by omission,” Nick answered, picking up his beer again and washing the words down. He felt guilty for not telling Julia the whole truth, but it was better this way. 

Tom suddenly grabbed for his phone. “Shit.” 

Nick furrowed his brow. “What?” 

“I might have posted that picture on social media and tagged all of you in it.” 

His eyes widened. “Shit.” Nick pulled out his own phone, checking the post. Sure enough, there were comments from Roz, Theo and Ambrose and a couple of reactions. When Nick tapped on the emojis, he inwardly cursed as he saw that one of the likes was from Julia. 

Tom had seen the same thing. “You might want to pick out some jewelry or something. Knowing Julia, that’s going to be an expensive apology,” he commented. 

Nick was still staring at his phone when the girls came back. 

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Scratch,” Sabrina said. 

He shook his head, trying to push away the problem for now. He’d have to deal with that tomorrow. “I’m just stunned that Ambrose thinks he can get away with calling you adorable,” he said, showing her the comment on the picture, thankful for the ready-made excuse. Sure enough, Ambrose had written: _Who is that adorable and innocent looking girl and what did she do with my cousin?_

Sabrina pursed her lips. “He keeps forgetting that I grew up in that mortuary as well.” 

Caroline laughed at the threat. “I seriously need to visit you there sometime. That place sounds insane.” 

Nick leaned back again, a smile on his face as he thought about the place and people he called home in Greendale. “You have no idea.” He grinned when Sabrina elbowed him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side so she couldn’t do anymore damage. She came willingly and leaned into him, the gesture as natural to them as breathing again. 

Tom watched in interest. He could see why Julia might feel threatened by Sabrina’s relationship with Nick, but then again, those two had mostly grown up together, so it wasn’t surprising that they were close – especially given their circumstances and Nick’s only living relative. No wonder he had spent most of his time with the Spellman family instead, even if that meant being in a mortuary as a child. 

“What Nick meant to say: You should totally visit. And you can sleep in my cousin’s old bedroom. He won’t need it anymore, he’ll be in one of the drawers in the basement,” Sabrina declared, making her friends laugh. 

“Your aunt Zelda would be so proud of you, Spellman. Dealing out death threats to your cousin just like she does to Hilda. She taught you well,” Nick said, grinning. 

“Which is why I’m her favorite niece,” she answered without missing a beat. 

“Wait, aren’t you the only niece?” Tom asked, laughing as he dodged the coaster Sabrina threw at him in response. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	12. I Burn Alive In The Palm Of Your Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> First of all: Thanks for reading and commenting! Your feedback is incredibly important to me and very much appreciated.
> 
> Before I dive into the chapter-specific notes, I just wanted to give you a little heads-up. The next chapter is already written, so you'll get that at the usual update pace. However, I'm probably going to slow down after that. My motivation for writing this story has suffered a bit lately because feedback has been scarce and I let that get into my head. I'll still update, so this story isn't going to die, don't worry. It's just going to be longer between updates until I get my head back on straight.
> 
> But now, back to business! You might want to buckle up for this one. Remember that rollercoaster image? What goes up must go down and here we are. All I'm going to say (so I don't spoil anything) is: brace for impact. I'm so sorry.
> 
> Let me know what you think?

_Well there's a million other girls who do it just like you_   
_Looking as innocent as possible to get to who_   
_They want and what they like, it's easy if you do it right_   
_Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse_

_(Paramore – Misery Business)_

Sabrina shook her head as she took in the state of the campus grounds – it still looked like a Mardi Gras parade had exploded all over the place, even if that had been over for a week now. But the official end didn’t really stop some of the students from keeping on partying. She gave it another week or so before people calmed down again, suddenly realizing that they were swamped with their course work and fast approaching finals. 

She, Caroline and Tom hadn’t exactly held back during the celebrations, so she wasn’t in a place where she could judge too much. But it had been a welcome distraction from the growing tension at the apartment, so she didn’t feel guilty, either. 

After Sabrina's birthday, Julia had made a scene and Nick had panicked, groveling way too hard for her to forgive him. Sabrina had noticed him pulling back from her, his behavior more reserved, even if it was just the two of them home alone. It stung – and it was Julia’s fault. 

They had drifted further apart when Nick had opted out of going back to Greendale for Christmas and New Year’s, instead spending it in New Orleans with Julia. There had been a fight, Sabrina pointing out how he’d disappoint her aunts, especially Hilda, if he didn’t show up, and their friends, too. That conversation had ended abruptly when Nick had told her in no uncertain terms that he was not a Spellman and, despite everything they had done for him, it was her family, not his. While sure that that had been something Julia had planted in his head, Sabrina was still hurt and had told him she’d let her family know how he really felt, but had held her tongue in the end. Not for his benefit, but because she didn’t want to hurt her aunts or Ambrose. The worried looks she got from them as well as her friends over her entire stay when they thought she didn’t notice fueled her anger at him, though. 

The atmosphere at the apartment had grown colder when she’d gotten back, spending a lot more time with Caroline and Tom than before and throwing herself into the dating scene, determined to find a distraction. They weren’t hostile towards each other, but the ease with which they had existed in each other’s orbit was gone, the rift palpable. 

Sabrina was on her way to meet her friends for a coffee break when her phone pinged. She grabbed it and was greeted with a text message that made her roll her eyes. 

**Caroline [2:32 PM]**   
_Turn around while you still can, the ice queen is_   
_holding court._

**Sabrina [2:33 PM]**   
_Great, as if running into her this morning wasn’t_   
_bad enough._

**Caroline [2:36 PM]**   
_She stayed over again?_

**Sabrina [2:38 PM]**   
_Stayed over, insulted me and perfectly played the_   
_damsel in distress when Nick caught wind. So now_   
_I’m of course the bad guy again in this scenario_   
_since_ _he heard me but not her._

**Caroline [2:42 PM]**   
_He’s looking at her like she walks on water as_   
_we speak. I’m tempted to let him know the_   
_water she touches becomes toxic waste._

**Sabrina [2:45 PM]**   
_I tried, but he’s wrapped around her finger._

**Caroline [2:46 PM]**   
_Or_ _,_ _more likely, other parts of her anatomy._

**Sabrina [2:48 PM]**   
_Thanks for the image, I think the sandwich I_   
_had_ _f_ _or lunch is trying to crawl back up again._

**Caroline [2:51 PM]**   
_You’re welcome. I’ll buy you a coffee to help_   
_stomach the stupid._

**Sabrina [2:52 PM]**   
_Better make it a big one. I’ll be there in a few._

True to her word, Sabrina reached her friends a few minutes later, plopping down in empty seat next to Tom. 

“Hey princess,” Tom greeted her, an easy smile on his face. He had started calling her that after a discussion of their most embarrassing Halloween costumes. Sabrina didn’t like it at first, but it had grown on her. 

“Hey Shrek,” she replied leaning into the one-armed hug he offered. She didn’t mind that his arm remained around her shoulders. 

“Princess, how cute. My dad used to call me that when I was a little girl,” Julia cut in, sending Sabrina a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What did yours call – oh, right, I forgot, sorry.” She didn’t sound or look sorry at all. 

“What does he call you now, Maleficent?” Sabrina answered, the same smile on her own face. She wasn’t even here a minute and she was already thinking of ways to set the other girl on fire that could be played off as an accident. She chose to ignore the dig about not having a father and mentally counted to ten. 

“Oh, you’re already here, Sabrina! Here’s your coffee, as promised,” Caroline interrupted and sat a large to-go cup down in front of her as she plopped down in the seat on her other side. 

“You are a life saver, thanks,” the blonde answered and grabbed the cup, taking a large sip. She enjoyed the way it burned down her throat. “Where’s Nick?” She hadn’t seen him since this morning but had expected him to be there since Julia was around. She didn’t hang out with them on her own, even after over a year of dating Nick. Not that Sabrina minded the other girl staying away. 

“My boyfriend is getting me another coffee,” Julia answered instead. “You know how he is, always so eager to take care of me.” She played with one of her earrings, the ones Nick had gotten her as an apology for Halloween, perfectly aware that Sabrina knew what they stood for. 

“Choke on it,” Caroline mumbled under her breath, her mouth hidden behind her own cup. Sabrina whole-heartedly agreed. 

Tom, trying to diffuse the growing tension, decided to change the subject. “Now, Sabrina, I desperately need your help. All these people – I want to call them wonderful, but I can’t - have let me down.” He used the arm around her shoulders to turn her towards him, his eyes locking with hers. “You’re my only hope.” 

“There’s a Star Wars screening somewhere, isn’t there?” She asked, laughing when she saw the sheepish smile on his face as he shrugged. 

“Tonight. Please tell me you’ll come with me to that galaxy far, far away as it was before George Lucas went off his rocker and Disney got their hands on it.” He tried his best puppy eyes. 

Sabrina shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t. I have a date tonight.” She realized that she had been going on a lot of dates since the new year started, something Nick had certainly commented on enough, so she was even glad for a moment that he wasn’t there. 

“Oh, who is it?” Caroline asked, an eyebrow raised. She had noticed the increase in Sabrina’s dating life: From zero when they met to a new guy every other week, almost none of them making it to a second date. The dating in general had started around the time Nick had announced that Julia was his girlfriend but had increased significantly since she came back from the Christmas holidays she went home alone for. Caroline had quickly learned not to voice that connection to Sabrina out loud. But she was still allowed to worry. 

“Phil from the shelter. I think I told you about him? He mainly works with dogs there.” 

Caroline nodded. “Right, I remember. He helped with that kitten you fostered a few weeks ago.” 

“He did. By the way, the kitten got adopted a few days ago,” Sabrina said with a smile. So she had brought a cat home after all, if only for a few weeks. But the tiny tabby had needed more care and attention than the staff at the shelter had been able to provide, so Sabrina didn’t think twice about offering. Getting less sleep had been absolutely worth having the tiny feline in her room. 

“I really don’t get why you waste your time at the animal shelter, they don’t even pay you for working there,” Julia interrupted, flicking her long dark hair over her shoulder. 

Sabrina took another big gulp from her coffee. “It’s called volunteering for a reason, Gina. But I guess not everyone is cut out to do work that doesn’t benefit them directly.” She was well aware that her messing up the other girl’s name was petty, but she was really just taking a page out of Nick’s handbook back in high school. 

“Ah, right, I forgot, you’re Saint Sabrina. Although you’ve pretty much turned into Mary Magdalene lately. Isn’t that like the fourth guy you’re going on a date with this month? Keep it up and you’ll have burned through half of the guys on campus by the end of the year.” 

Tom squeezed her shoulder, trying to keep her calm, but he failed as Sabrina’s temper flared. “Now, see, that’s just not going to be possible since I told myself I’d stay away from all the guys that are already a notch on _your_ bedpost.” 

“Sabrina,” Nick’s warning voice came from behind her. 

She closed her eyes for a second. Of course this was the moment he came back. Judging from the glint in the other girl’s eye, she had seen Nick coming and set her up. “Hey Nick,” she answered, trying her best to smile when he rounded the table and sat down next to Julia again. 

He put her coffee down in front of her. “Here’s your decaf almond milk latte. They didn’t have stevia, only normal sugar and sweetener.” 

Sabrina couldn’t stop herself from looking at Caroline at the coffee order and the redheaded girl didn’t bother to hide how she rolled her eyes. Nick caught the silent exchange and narrowed his eyes at Sabrina, but she simply held his gaze, not backing down. 

“You owe me a Star Wars marathon, princess, since you’re also letting me down tonight. Next Saturday, original trilogy on the big screen in the common room of the frat house,” Tom tried to steer the conversation to safer waters again. 

She smiled. “Sounds good. Which cut are we going to watch, did Han shoot first?” 

He looked at her, his mouth open in shock. “I’m offended you’re even asking,” He looked over her head at Caroline. “What about you? You’re no better than Sabrina tonight.” 

She shrugged. “Sure, I’ll be there. Listening to you whine for three movies straight sounds like a Saturday well spent.” 

“Nick? You in?” Tom asked. 

Before he could answer, Julia jumped in. “We’ll think about it.” 

“That’s a no,” Sabrina informed Tom with an innocent smile on her face when Nick’s scowl deepened. 

“More popcorn for us,” Caroline added. “But we’ll probably still need a ton, I’m guessing you’re going to drag a few of your frat brothers into this marathon?” 

“Is Old Ben actually called Obi-Wan Kenobi?” 

“Spoilers!” The redheaded girl cried, making Sabrina laugh as she leaned into Tom’s side, well aware that Nick was still watching her. He used to hold her like this, but things had changed. 

**********

_This is looking like a contest_   
_Of who can act like they care less_

_(Taylor Swift – The Story Of Us)_

Sabrina sat on her bed, leaning back against the headboard with her notebook in her lap as she talked to Roz. It had become an almost weekly ritual for them and while it was a good way for Sabrina to keep up with gossip in Greendale, Roz lately used those video calls to check in on her friend. She had seen over Christmas that the fact that Nick had stayed in New Orleans weighed heavy on her and from what Sabrina told her, it had only gotten worse between them since then, not better. The only comforting thought was that Sabrina had found friends that had her back. 

“Caroline is dragging me to a spa day on Saturday,” Sabrina said, rolling her eyes with a fond smile. 

Roz laughed. “Look at you, living the good life.” 

“Seriously, I’d rather just stay on the couch and eat ice cream, I’ve been so exhausted lately. Classes are really taking it out of me this semester,” the blonde girl sighed. 

“Have you thought about maybe dropping a few shifts at the shelter? Just temporarily, until college eases up again,” Roz suggested, pulling her curls into a bun while she spoke. 

Sabrina shook her head. “No way. Those shifts are sacred. Being around purring cats is one of the most relaxing things at the moment.” She grimaced. “Which I probably shouldn’t have told Caroline because that’s what got me roped into spa day.” 

“I’m not going to complain that she’s taking better care of you than you do,” her friend said, shrugging. “Don’t think I didn’t see you massage your neck earlier.” 

“Sorry, Aunt Hilda, I’ll take better care of myself,” she joked, laughing when Roz narrowed her eyes for a moment, but then she shrugged again. 

“You know what? I’m taking that as a compliment. Now I just need to learn how to cook and bake like your aunt.” 

“You could always ask her to teach you, I bet she’d be thrilled. She has completely given up on Ambrose and I’m not around for her to teach, I bet she’s getting antsy. You’d do her a favor,” Sabrina suggested, grinning. 

“I just might,” Roz said. Her father wasn’t a bad cook, but Hilda Spellman didn’t just play in another league, it was a completely different sport. “However, coming back to the topic you tried to weasel your way out of: How are things with Nick?” 

The blonde girl sighed. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Roz. He’s still with the ice queen, so things around here aren’t going to change anytime soon.” 

“Should I send my old glasses to him? They won’t cure blindness but maybe they’ll help him see _something_.” Roz had heard enough from Sabrina as well as Caroline, who had been a part of their calls a few times, to dislike the girl without ever having met her. She had no desire to, either. 

“Not even the Hubble Telescope would help him see that she’s using him,” Sabrina mumbled. “And they started hanging out here more, which just makes things so much better.” She rolled her eyes. “Guess what she told me a couple of days ago?” 

“I’m doubting that it’s anything good.” 

“Nick left me alone with her and went to the grocery store to get the brand of milk substitute she prefers because she complained how he got the wrong one. And she saw the picture from my last birthday on our fridge, the one that Tom posted?” When Roz nodded, Sabrina shook her head, a humorless laugh escaping her. “And she grabbed the picture, walked up to me and had the nerve to tell me to keep my hands off of Nick.” 

Roz raised her eyebrows. “What? That’s … I don’t even know what that is.” 

“It’s insane. She’s such a beast, and he just doesn’t see it and doesn’t believe anyone who tells him what’s really happening. It’s just so frustrating how he always jumps to her defense like she’s this innocent fragile thing.” Sabrina was more than fed up with the situation. 

„Maybe he needs a slap upside the head instead of glasses.” 

„Oh, I’m tempted, believe me. Especially since he always gets defensive when someone talks about his precious girlfriend, but it’s somehow okay for him to comment on my dating life.” She pursed her lips. „That’s not how this works.” 

Roz nodded in understanding; she could see why her friend wasn’t happy about the double standards. „Definitely not how that works. And it doesn’t really sound like Nick, that’s just … not something I would have expected from him.” 

„I told you, the ice queen is slowly brainwashing him. But honestly? I’m done trying to convince him. If he wants to walk face-first into that parking fist, it’s his problem.” Her frustration won out. 

„Looks like she’s really doing a number on him.” it really didn’t do anything to reassure her that her friends would be okay, her worry growing. „But speaking of your dating life – and just for the record, I’m not judging, just curious – how did the date with this art guy go?” 

„Caliban? It was … okay. Better than expected, although I feel like he has an unhealthy attachment to clay. I got him to talk about art history and that wasn’t too shabby.” Sabrina had been surprised at that, considering that she had initially only accepted Caliban’s invitation to spite Nick, who harbored a deep dislike for the other guy for some reason. 

„Doesn’t sound half-bad.” 

Sabrina scrunched up her nose. „But he calls me doll, that’s just … ugh. I told him months ago not to do it because it’s weird, but he just keeps going.” 

Roz cringed. „Doll? The Sixties called and want their pet names back.” 

„Thanks, that’s what I said,” the blonde answered. 

„You could call him something just as stupid. How about clay boy?” 

Sabrina laughed. „He’d probably even like that.” 

Unbeknownst to Sabrina, Nick came out of his room, stopping in the hallway when he heard her laugh. He missed the sound, something that had become almost exclusive to when they were in group settings. 

“So, since you got that one out of the way, any hot dates coming up?” Roz asked, her eyebrow raised as she watched her friend squirm for a moment. 

Nick knew that he should move, that he really shouldn’t listen in on the conversation they were having. But he couldn’t help himself. 

“I know that I said I wouldn’t go on second date with Caliban when I mentioned going out with him last week, but I actually changed my mind about that. I mean … part of the conversation was okay and he’s really good with his hands.” 

“Brina!” Roz exclaimed, her eyes wide. 

“What?!” Sabrina asked innocently. 

Nick had heard more than enough and certainly more than he ever wanted to know, regretting that he hadn’t just kept walking in the first place. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop in the first place, but what he had heard just now made him see red. He didn’t want to think about Caliban putting his hands on Sabrina. He didn’t deserve her. Why would Sabrina even let him? All the guys she had been dating in the past few months … that wasn’t like her. Adding the likes of Caliban to the list, a guy who would drop her like a hot potato once he had gotten her into his bed … No. 

He shook his head, trying to get rid of the images his mind provided him with. It was none of his business. Sabrina was an adult and could do what she wanted with whoever she wanted to do it with. He went to the living room and turned on the TV as background noise, making sure to drown out any more details he didn’t want to hear. 

“I can’t believe you!” Roz was still looking at her like she had grown a second head. 

“He was giving me a massage! Get your mind out of the gutter, Rosalind Walker!” 

“He did what now?” 

Sabrina shrugged. “I told you, the last couple of weeks were packed with exams and I was really tense, so he offered to give me a massage. And he knew what he was doing, I have to give him that.” 

“And he offered to give you a massage out of the goodness of his heart, I’m sure,” Roz deadpanned. 

The blonde girl grinned. “Joke’s on him, no clothes came off then and they won’t come off in the future, either.” 

**********

_I’ll wear that noose like it’s in style, but I’m not prepared to die_   
_With nothing but this shame_   
_Don’t you dare, don’t you fucking say my name_   
_How am I supposed to sleep with you strewn across the sheets like broken glass?_   
_How am I supposed to?_   
_I’m fine, fine, I’m telling you, I’m fine, fine_   
_I burn alive in the palm of your hand_   
_But you’ll never see me cry_

_(VENNA – Cross My Heart)_

Two weeks later, the tension at the apartment had become thick enough to cut with a knife. Sabrina had no idea that Nick had overheard part of her conversation with Roz, but his commentary on her going out with Caliban had gained in venom, as had her comments about Julia in return. 

So when Sabrina opened the door to the apartment and spotted Nick studying at the dining room table, she put her hand on Caliban’s chest, stopping him. “I had a lot of fun tonight, but I think this is where we part ways,” she said, leaning against the doorframe. 

“I could keep you warm tonight, doll,” he offered, leaning into her space. 

Nick glanced up, annoyed at the scene he was forced to witness and the other guy’s pet name for Sabrina. Doll? Really? Why the hell wasn’t she clawing his eyes out? 

She shook her head. “I’m good, thanks. But we should do this again.” 

“Agreed. Do I get a kiss goodnight for walking you home?” Caliban smirked down at her. 

Instead of answering, Sabrina pulled him down and kissed him hard, her hand tangled in his hair. He came closer and she felt the doorframe dig into her back uncomfortably, but it was worth it for the sound of Nick slamming his book shut alone. She broke the kiss and smiled at him as she let go of him. “Goodnight, Caliban.” 

“Night, doll,” he answered and she watched him walk down the hallway. When Sabrina closed the door behind Caliban, she leaned against it, taking a deep breath. 

“I almost feel sorry for him, having to go home with that kind of blue balls,” Nick commented from his place at the table, not looking up from his notes. 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Spellman, with the way you were kissing him, he was probably already trying to figure out how to get you out of your clothes as fast as possible.” 

So he had definitely looked when she kissed Caliban. “Not my problem,” she commented, putting her jacket on the coat rack. 

He shrugged. “I’m just saying. He’s going to need a cold shower since he didn’t get what he walked you back home for.” 

“None of your business, Nick,” Sabrina warned. She could do without the biting commentary, well aware that he didn’t exactly approve of her dating life. “Besides, what are you even doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be with Gina?” 

“Julia,” he corrected, barely able to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He probably deserved it, given how he had deliberately messed up Harvey’s name once in a while back in high school while he and Sabrina had been a thing. But that didn’t mean that he appreciated the attitude. “We had to reschedule, something came up.” 

“Sorry to hear that,” she answered, not sounding sorry at all. “I guess Caliban isn’t the only one with blue balls tonight, then.” With that, she went to her room, not bothering to be particularly quiet as she closed her door. Something inside Nick snapped. 

Sabrina had barely sat down on her bed when the door opened, Nick looking at her with a less than amused expression, not bothering to move from his spot in the doorway. “What’s your problem, Sabrina?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” This time it was she who didn’t look up as she removed the necklace she had been wearing. 

“Please. I know you don’t like her. But the remarks are really getting old,” he scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. It had been like this since he met his girlfriend and gotten increasingly worse over time. He was tired of it. 

She shook her head. “Again, I have no idea what you mean.” Sabrina got off her bed and went to her nightstand, placing her necklace in the box where she kept her jewelry. Her earrings followed. 

“I know you hate her, but can’t you at least pretend to be civil for my sake?” Wasn’t that the least she could do? She knew he was happy with Julia, why couldn’t she just accept that and support him? Wasn’t that what friends were supposed to do? Instead, she just kept firing shots at his girlfriend, irritating him immensely. 

She threw him a withering look. “No, I can’t, Nick. She’s going to chew you up and spit you out and I’m not going to stand there and smile just because you’re too blind to see her for what she is!” 

He shook his head, trying and failing to make sense of her words. “What the hell, Sabrina? Do you even listen to yourself? Are you jealous of Julia or something?” 

She couldn’t stop the humorless laugh that escaped her lips. “No, I am not jealous of her. I’m just tired of you ignoring the way she treats everyone but you. You’re too wrapped around her little finger to realize that she treats people like dirt if she doesn’t see a way to get ahead by using them. And you’re also too wrapped around her little finger to see the way she treats me.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, she’s always civil around you, which can’t exactly be said about you,” Nick challenged her. 

Something inside Sabrina snapped. “You know what? I’m so done with this bullshit. Want to know what your darling Julia does when you’re not around? She brags about the expensive gifts you get her and the perks of having a well-off boyfriend. She digs into me for growing up without my parents. A while back, she told me stay away from you. Great girlfriend you have there.” 

Nick shook his head, his anger mixing with bewilderment. He’d heard it all before, how Julia supposedly was after money, but the last thing was new. “What? No, she’d never do that, she knows you’re my best friend. Stop attacking her every chance you get.” 

She scoffed at the fact that he didn’t even consider believing her. “Am I? Hasn’t really felt like that for a while now, not with how you’ve been judging me. Not with how you always take her side and don’t even consider that I might be right.” 

“Sorry if I don’t keep my mouth shut when I see you with narcissists like Caliban who only want to add you as a notch to their bedpost. Sorry if I get pissed off when you go after my girlfriend all the time.” 

“Oh, that’s great.” Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I’m supposed to keep my mouth shut about your shitty girlfriend, but you get to comment on my dating life? I guess you did learn a lesson or two from your misogynistic uncle, after all.” 

“What?!” He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Was she seriously comparing him to his uncle? A guy he had fled from the second he could? “That’s bullshit! I have defended you so many times when he tried to go after you that I lost count.” 

“I don’t need you to defend me, I can take care of myself!” 

“Like you take care of yourself by dating basically every guy that asks you out?” 

“At least I’m not hooking up with all the guys I date or guilt-trip someone I supposedly care about into staying away from people who care about them or into getting me another set of expensive earrings.” 

Anger flooded him at her insinuation. She had no idea about his relationship, she had no right to jump to conclusions. “No, you hook up with a guy to fulfill a stupid teenage fantasy. A guy you claim to trust oh-so-much but then don’t even trust enough to take you on a damn date. I don’t have too many regrets in my life so far, but I definitely regret having sex with you that night. I tried to tell you that we shouldn’t go there, but of course you didn’t want to listen. And that’s when everything between us went to hell.” 

He might as well have slapped her. 

Nick realized that he had gone too far when she physically recoiled, pain washing over her face. He wanted to take the words back, but it was too late. For a few moments, the room was completely quiet, the sound of cars on the street the only thing filling the silence. 

“Get out,” she finally whispered, eerily quiet. Sabrina vibrated with energy, a mixture of rage and hurt that she was barely able to control. 

“Sabrina-” 

“I said get out,” she repeated, cutting him off. She felt tears burning in her eyes, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Wouldn’t let him see just how deep his words had cut her. 

“I-” 

“Get out of my fucking room, Nicholas!” Without thinking, she walked up to him and shoved him backwards, taking him by surprise. He stumbled backwards into the hallway, not expecting the force behind her small frame and temporarily distracted by her swearing. Nick was sure that the look of betrayal on her face, the grim lines, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, was going to haunt him when she closed the door in his face. That she turned the key, locking him out, was only a formality. 

He stared at the door, the realization of what just happened slowly sinking in. Of what he had thrown at her. Nick felt sick. He hadn’t meant it. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back. He had just been so furious, hadn’t thought … and then it felt like crashing a car into a wall. Those moments that ticked by before Sabrina kicked him out of her room, the seconds it took for his words to sink in, watching her face go from anger to anguish – it had been one of the most horrible things he ever experienced. He needed to fix this. Needed to talk to her, let her know that he didn’t mean it. But how was he supposed to get her to talk to him again after this? 

When she was alone, Sabrina exhaled, a shuddering, painful thing. She pressed her hand against her mouth to suppress the sob that was threatening to spill out, aware that Nick was probably still outside her door. She wouldn’t give him this victory. Sabrina grabbed her phone with shaking hands, connecting it to her speakers before blindly choosing a rock playlist Theo had put together for her a while ago, blasting it louder than she usually would. She curled up on her bed in a fetal position, drawing her legs close to her chest as she finally allowed herself to cry, the loud music swallowing her sobs. 

Despite everything that had happened after, that night had always meant a lot to her. That one perfect night. She had trusted him not just with her emotions but also with her body that night, so sure that he would never hurt her. To have that thrown in her face like this, like it meant nothing, was tearing her to pieces. After all the time that had passed, it made her feel dirty, stupid, naïve. What she had entrusted to him worthless since he didn’t want it anyway. 

Nick leaned against the wall opposite her door, slowly sliding down until he sat on the ground as music started blasting from her room. How the hell did they get to this point? He used to think they were indestructible. That no matter what, they’d always have each other’s backs. Sabrina had been his rock growing up. It didn’t matter what his uncle said or did, she had always been there, offering a hug and kind words or a rant about his uncle that ultimately made him smile again. When the loss of his parents hit him especially hard, she was there, the only person who really understood what he was dealing with. But now? Now they were shattered into a million pieces. He felt tears burning in his eyes at the thought, matching hers. 

They had never fought like this before. They had bickered and had some tense conversations lately, but in all the years they had known each other, they had never torn into each other like that. Fully intending to hurt one another. Sabrina had deliberately gone after his insecurities, that people only liked him because of superficial, material things. That his own _girlfriend_ was just with him for the benefits it brought her. Had thrown one of his worst fears at him, that his uncle had managed to ingrain his way of thinking into him, after all. 

And he had retaliated, picking the thing that still hurt him, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud: that she had been okay with trusting him with her body but not the piece of her heart he had wanted so desperately back then. He had taken that night and twisted it into an attack, trying to hit her as hard as she had hit him. He only realized that he had overstepped a line in doing so too late, touching on something that connected the two of them so deeply. Using that against her had been a horrible mistake and he was at a loss where to even start to fix it. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there on the floor, his head in his hands, staring at her locked door when he fished his phone out of his pocket, a desperate attempt to reach out to her. 

Sabrina has no idea how long she lay there, crying for everything that was broken. Her eyes were burning, her whole body hurting from the heavy sobs that had been shaking her. Her phone pinged, indicating a new message. She grabbed it on autopilot, wishing instantly she hadn’t. A text message from Nick was displayed on her lock screen. 

**Nick:**   
_I’m so sorry. Let me in, please. Let me make this right._

She opened the chat, a desperate sort of laughter bubbling up in her throat when she saw the message before - a video she had sent him a few days ago from the shelter of a cat curled up in her lap, purring as if its life depended on it. 

She decided to answer, her rage flaring up again as she stared at his attempted apology. 

**Sabrina [11:38 PM]**   
_Go to hell, Nicholas._

Send. She looked at the chat for a moment longer, watched the two blue check marks appear, indicating he had read her message. 

Nick cursed when he saw her message and started typing again, the only good thing about it that she at least responded at all. 

Sabrina saw the three dots, letting her know that he was writing. She blocked his contact, not interested in what he had to say. He had said more than enough. 

**Nick [11:42 PM]**   
_Sabrina, please, I didn’t mean it. You have to_   
_believe me. I swear, I did not mean it. Please_   
_open the door._

His message bounced back, the channel of communication with her gone. “Fuck!” Nick whispered, dragging his hand over his face in frustration as he looked at her door. What had he done? 

When Sabrina left her room the next morning, she saw a pillow and a blanket on the floor in the narrow hallway. Had Nick slept there? Sabrina scoffed. What did he think that would accomplish? She stepped around his things and went to the kitchen to grab a coffee, the only thing she could stomach. She saw Nick sitting at the table, his shoulders slightly hunched as he looked at his phone. His hair was a mess and he looked exhausted. Not that she cared. 

His head snapped up when he registered her presence. “Sabrina, I-” 

“Save it.” She didn’t want to hear his apologies. 

“Please, just-” Nick tried again, desperate to talk to her at this point. If he could just get her to listen, if she’d let him explain, they could at least try to patch things up. 

“Don’t you get it? I don’t want to talk to you!” Sabrina felt last night’s emotions bubble up inside her again. 

He was fine with talking if it meant her not completely blocking him anymore. “Then please just listen. There’s-” 

She shook her head. “You said everything you needed to say last night, Nicholas. Leave me alone. I wouldn’t want you to _regret_ anything else.” Without another word, she went to the fridge and grabbed one of the iced coffees she stored there for emergencies. 

When she closed the door, Nick was standing in the doorway, looking at her like a kicked puppy. Sabrina couldn’t bring herself to care. She squeezed past him and went back to her room without another word or sparing him another glance, slamming her door shut. 

Nick looked after her, leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen, defeated. How were they supposed to get out of this mess? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	13. This Empty Space Is More Than I Can Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Wow, so I guess the last chapter had quite an impact, judging from all the comments :-O I honestly didn't expect that, so it was a bit overwhelming, but of course every single comment was very much appreciated! 
> 
> But without further ado, let's get back to where we left off and face the consequences.
> 
> Let me know what you think?

_I lost a friend_   
_Like sleep on a red-eye_   
_Like money on a bad bet_   
_Like time worrying about every bad thing that hasn't happened yet_   
_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_   
_I'll be lying awake counting all the mistakes I've made, replaying fights_

_ (FINNEAS – I Lost A Friend) _

The next few weeks passed both in a blur and incredibly slow at the same time. Nick felt drained, the fight with Sabrina weighing heavily on him. He had been right; the look of betrayal did haunt him. Every time he thought about her, the pain in her eyes was the first thing that came to his mind. After trying and failing again and again to talk to her, he went to Julia’s place. He left a note, explaining where he went – not that he expected Sabrina to reach out to him at the moment. She was too furious, the wounds too raw to expect her to come to him. But he didn’t want to shut her out, not if there was any chance at all for them to salvage what was left. 

However, he needed to take a step back at the same time, get his own thoughts into some sort of order. While his initial reflex had been to apologize to Sabrina until she forgave him, the complete radio silence gave him time to process. Sitting on Julia’s couch, Nick realized that them fighting in some form had been almost inevitable. It had been brewing for months, both of them steadily pouring gasoline into the flames. 

Ever since her birthday and that damn picture, things had been tense. And instead of understanding why he had fought so hard to make the incident up to his girlfriend, Sabrina had scoffed and judged him for everything he had done since then. She didn’t always say it, but he saw the looks she gave him or traded with Caroline, who didn’t exactly try to mellow Sabrina, either. 

What hurt the most was that she not once stopped to ask why he was with Julia. Instead, she was constantly in attack mode – something he had never seen from her before and that had slowly chipped away at his patience.

Julia was there, let him vent his frustrations about Sabrina’s behavior and suggested she might be jealous because she was in love with him. Considering their history, the thought was ridiculous, but he decided against telling her what had happened between them in the past. It was their secret and Nick wouldn’t betray Sabrina’s trust like that. Instead, he let  Julia comfort him in her own way: while she wasn’t overly affectionate, she was  _ there _ – and that was something he needed. She let him hold her close when he needed, let him show her how he felt. Nick didn’t have to maneuver a minefield when he was around her and it was incredibly liberating in comparison to the tension in his own apartment. In return, he didn’t mind spoiling her with the thing she hinted that she’d like to have. It was a small price to pay for the comfort and escape she offered. 

Nick had to admit that staying in New Orleans over the Christmas holidays hadn’t helped, their in comparison small fight before Sabrina left now an indicator of where they had been headed for a long time. He had fully expected her to go through with her threat, if it could be called that, to tell her family what he had said. Instead, he had gotten a slightly confused, but still cheerful text from Ambrose with holiday greetings. It had given him hope.

That hope was smashed when she came back, angrier at him than before she had left. Nick had wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her when she had started dating random guys, but especially when Caliban came into the picture. He didn’t even get the impression that she liked him, saw her cringe when the art student called her by his ridiculous pet name for her. It felt like she was dating the other guy to get back at him, a twisted way of sticking it to him by dating a guy he despised because he was with Julia who she hated. 

Their fight had been inevitable, the explosion of the powder keg they had been sitting on a long time coming, but that didn’t excuse what he had thrown at her, how he had  hurt her. However, she hadn’t pulled any punches, either. Sabrina had zeroed in on his vulnerabilities, things only she knew how to really exploit. Comparing him to his uncle – a man who even resorted to hitting him on a couple of occasions when Nick had been too young to defend himself and wouldn’t agree with his twisted views – had been a low blow. She knew perfectly well how, growing up, he had fought so hard to become nothing like Faustus Blackwood. To throw that in his face, suggesting he had failed, had been a knife to the gut. 

Her attacks on Julia had been expected, but the idea that his girlfriend had told Sabrina to stay away from him was ridiculous. Despite their differences, she was still one of the most important people in his life – and Julia knew that, even if she didn’t know about all the things they had gone through together. However, the months of building tension and aggression, paired with her attacks on him and his girlfriend, had led Nick to his breaking point and he had let his anger get the better of him, going for the jugular by questioning their shared past.

He decided that it would be best to stay out of Sabrina’s way for a few days – but when he went back to the apartment to grab some clothes, he realized that she was gone. He pushed the door to her room open and saw that her wardrobe was still open and the bag she used for short trips home to Greendale was gone. Nick searched the kitchen, the living room, everywhere he could think of for a note, but he came up empty. Panic rose. Where had she gone? His calls didn’t go through, so he called Caroline and Tom, both stating they had no idea where she was. He called Ambrose, who said he hadn’t heard anything about his cousin coming home. He sat with his head in his hands, the worry threatening to overwhelm h im , when Caroline told him that Sabrina was with her, after all. He wanted to go over, talk to her, but the redheaded girl told him to stay away. Sabrina hadn’t told her what happened, but time apart seemed like a good idea for both of them.

Nick looked around the empty apartment, everything about it screaming Sabrina’s name to him. The furniture they had picked out together, the posters they had gotten shortly after moving in. He couldn’t stay. It felt wrong, to be here without her. He grabbed a few days' worth of clothes and went back to Julia’s place.

Days turned into weeks of Sabrina blocking his attempts to talk to her and the few times they ran into each other at the apartment when he needed to do laundry or grab something he had forgotten were uncomfortable at best. It hurt, every single time, when she wouldn’t even look at him when they spoke, even unable to do small talk. The hope he had been holding onto, that they’d be able to work through this, slowly shriveled away. 

He had snapped at Julia after a few of those encounters, his girlfriend suggesting he should just let go if Sabrina wasn’t interested in patching things up. Sabrina’s words came back in those moments, her suggestion that Julia was trying to keep them apart resurfacing. Julia had tried to distract him from the emotional minefield he was trying to navigate, but he realized that she hadn’t really offered words of comfort or advice. She had been there, but her passive stance led some credibility to what Sabrina had said. 

Nick started paying closer attention to his girlfriend when they met with Tom and Caroline, noting how she fell silent or tried to change the subject when the topic shifted to the glaringly absent blonde. He had tried talking to Julia about it, but she called it ridiculous, told him that it was all in his head. That he had let the fight twist his perception and he needed to focus on what was in front of him, not in the past. And after a while, he started believing her.

**********

_Buried deep as you can dig inside yourself_   
_And hidden in the public eye_   
_Such a stellar monument of loneliness_   
_Laced with brilliant smiles and shining eyes_   
_Perfect make-up, but you're barely scraping by_

_ (Dashboard Confessional – The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most) _

After the first wave of anger had slowly ebbed away, it had given way to a feeling of emptiness that Sabrina had never experienced before. When the first dust had settled, she had packed a bag, her initial reflex to run home and hole up in her old bedroom in Greendale. However, that would have meant answering questions she wasn’t prepared to get into with her aunts. So instead of seeking comfort at the mortuary, she had asked Caroline if she could crash on her couch for a few days and left the apartment without a note. Her friend thankfully hadn’t pushed for information when Sabrina told her that she didn’t want to talk about it, instead just offering a hug and – when the blonde asked her – the promise not to tell Nick where she was in case he asked. 

Sabrina had made Tom promise the same when he called her, asking about her location. Apparently Nick was sick with worry because she had left without a word. “ _ You can tell Nicholas that it’s none of his business anymore where I am, _ ” she had told him. Caroline had sat next to her on the couch, frowning. The ice in Sabrina’s voice was something she’d never heard before, her friend usually so warm and loving, exceptions confirming the rule. To hear her talk like that about Nick of all people … something was seriously wrong. 

Without telling Sabrina, Caroline had messaged Nick shortly after that call, letting him know that she was safe and with her. He had wanted to come over, but the redheaded girl convinced him to stay away. Even if she didn’t know what had happened, she could see that Sabrina needed time to cool off and Nick showing up wouldn’t help things at all. Caroline learned a few days later from Tom that Nick had spent the last few days at Julia’s place, only saying that he couldn’t stay alone in the apartment. When she told Sabrina, the other girl decided to go back – knowing that she wouldn’t run into Nick certainly helped. 

After that, Sabrina had thrown herself into her academic work as well as  taken more shifts at the shelter, anything to keep herself busy and her mind occupied. She had also started to go on more dates, to more parties,  only  content enough when her mind was fogged by alcohol or Caliban or, after she couldn’t take it anymore and dumped him, some other guy whose name she could barely remember was feeling her up in dark corners – there had been more of those than she was willing to admit. Sabrina was desperate to feel anything but the void that had settled deep in her core.  And while her clothes stayed on, she still  felt dirty afterwards , scrubbed her skin a bit harder under the slightly too hot shower that tinged her skin an angry pink.

Her friends watched, concern for her growing.  _ “You need to slow down, Sabrina, you’re going to crash and burn if you keep going like this,” _ Caroline had warned her at a party they had attended together.  _ “I can handle myself,” _ she had responded and grabbed another drink, as if to prove a point. Later, she had told Daniel – or was it Dennis?  David? - that she would be going home alone, despite the way she had let his hands roam her body and her messed up lipstick. When she lay alone in her bed, staring at the ceiling fan, the void crept up on her again, threatening to swallow her whole.

Tom had taken her home that night, watching with concern as she stumbled into her apartment. He had talked to Caroline before leaving the party and they agreed  that  it would be best if he slept on the couch to keep watch, make sure Sabrina would be okay, knowing fully well that Nick wouldn’t come home. Their group of friends had drifted apart – if Nick was around, Sabrina was nowhere to be found and vice versa. Neither told him or Caroline what had actually happened, but it didn’t take  a genius to realize that it had been  a disaster if it tore them apart like it had. Both were suffering, but while Nick spent more and more time with Julia,  seeking refuge with the person Tom suspected to be at least somewhat responsible,  Sabrina was going down a path of self-destruction, running herself into the ground with work during the day and partying at night to block out the pain they saw flash up in her eyes sometimes. Tom only hoped he or Caroline would be around to catch her when she inevitably collapsed at some point. 

Sabrina had barely seen Nick over those last couple of weeks, and she wasn’t sure whether that was a good or bad thing. The apartment felt wrong, empty without his presence. She had heard from her friends that he spent most of his time at his girlfriend’s place and they had only crossed paths a couple of times when he stopped by to do laundry or grab some fresh clothes. There was no small talk over those meetings, only the acknowledgement of the other’s presence in the same space. He had stopped trying to reach out to her and Sabrina refused to take a step in his direction, the wounds still raw. For all intents and purposes, they were barely more than strangers.

Which was also the reason why Sabrina had started  looking for a new place to stay.  The apartment was also Nick’s and he was barely there anymore – definitely not enough to justify paying rent. And she didn’t feel at home there anymore, it had  gradually just become a place to stay over the last few months, their fight only cementing the feeling. There were a couple of offers that sounded promising enough and she had called to make appointments to look at the places.

Meanwhile, she had started packing her things – stuff she hadn’t needed in a while anyway had found its way into boxes in a corner of her room. It stung, every time she looked at them, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She also wanted to be ready to move when she told Nick that she was leaving. 

Sabrina sighed and looked around her room, the posters on the wall catching her eye. She could definitely put those in a box already. She grabbed her chair, an old, wobbly thing that had seen better days but that still did the trick and climbed up so she could reach the Dracula poster over her desk. A sad smile appeared on her face when she remembered the day they had put the posters up. Thing had been okay back then.

She still had to stretch and cursed Nick for putting it up so high when a loud bang outside made her jump. The sudden movement sent her tumbling down, the framed poster crashing to the ground, its glass breaking. Sabrina smacked her wrist against the desk on the way down before her back hit the floor, forcing the air out of her lungs. 

With her eyes squeezed shut, Sabrina tried to take a breath, panic bubbling up in her chest when she felt like she couldn’t. She forced herself off her back and rolled on her side, a painful gasp finally providing oxygen again. Everything hurt. Her back, her head, her hand. Sabrina whimpered in agony when she tried to push herself up and felt pieces of broken glass dig into her skin. 

“Shit,” she cursed, tears burning in her eyes. When she was finally on her feet again, she dragged herself to the bathroom, cradling her not just pounding but now also bleeding hand and moving on autopilot. Letting water clean away the blood, she managed to pull out a few of the bigger pieces of glass, but she quickly realized that she had to go to the hospital to get it properly looked at. She just hoped their neighbors were home. 

**********

_Running down_ _corridors_   
_Through_ _automatic_ _doors_   
_Got_ _to_ _get_ _to you_   
_Got_ _to_ _see_ _this_ _through_

_(Athlete – Wires)_

After already getting told twice that he needed to slow down, Nick forced himself to walk as fast as he could instead of running like he actually wanted. His heart had been threatening to beat out of his chest since he had answered his phone and heard that Sabrina was in the hospital. He hadn’t bothered to wait for more information, instead jumping up from the couch where he had sat with Julia and rushed out of her apartment, throwing over his shoulder what he knew. 

When he walked up to the reception, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. “I’m looking for Sabrina  Spellman ,” he rushed out when the nurse finally looked up after what felt like an eternity. “I got a call that she’s here, I’m her emergency contact, Nicholas Scratch.” They had done that, putting each other’s information as emergency contacts when they first moved to New Orleans. Reaching someone in Greendale wouldn’t do anyone any good. 

“Are you related?” The nurse asked, typing away on her computer, pulling up Sabrina’s information. Or so Nick hoped. 

“I’m her-” Nick stopped himself. What even was he to her at the moment? “I’m her roommate , ” he finally landed on.

After what felt like an eternity and Nick showing her his ID, confirming that he was who he claimed to be, she gave him the number of the room Sabrina was in along with directions. Rationally, he knew that her condition couldn’t be critical if they let him through to see her. But he needed to actually see her to confirm that she was, at least more or less, okay.

He knocked at the door and waited until he heard a faint “Come in” before entering. Nick breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her, sitting in the bed in her own clothes, unscathed. He halted when he saw the bandages on her hand. Not entirely unscathed.

“Nicholas,” she said, surprise evident in her voice. What the hell was he doing here?

“Sabrina,” he whispered. Nick quickly crossed the room and pulled her into his arms, the last few weeks completely gone from his mind, ignoring that she had called him by his full name. His eyes widened when she hissed at the contact and he let her go as fast as he had hugged her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” While he meant physically right now, he knew that he still owed her another apology, that one a lot more complicated than this one right now.

“You didn’t know,” was all she said at first. After a few moments, she finally asked: “What are you doing here?”

He combed a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture if she’d ever seen one from him. Was she really surprised he’d show up when  she needed to go to the hospital? Were things really this broken between them that she didn’t expect him to  show up or even  care when she got physically hurt? “Of course I’m here. I’m your emergency contact. The hospital called me, scared me half to death. What happened, Sabrina?”

She closed her eyes for a moment. Right. She needed to do something about that. Maybe she could ask Caroline? “I fell off a chair,” was all she supplied at first. When his worried gaze urged her to continue, she added “I landed on my back,  bruised my wrist and cut myself on some broken glass.”

“What were you even doing up on a chair?” 

Sabrina wanted to shake her head but grimaced when the headache that had started about an hour ago made itself knows. “Doesn’t matter.”

“You could have broken your neck,” he argued, his eyes still roaming over her. She was pale and her whole posture screamed of exhaustion.

“Well, I didn’t, so all good,” she dismissed his words, unsure what he wanted her to say. She wished he would just go and leave her alone, but she also knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

“It’s not … dammit, Sabrina, you’re in the hospital, so it’s definitely not all good!” His worry slowly turned into anger at her dismissive behavior. Before Nick had a chance to say anything else, the door opened, a doctor coming in to check on her. 

Nick sat down in the corner, watching Sabrina argue that she wanted to go home and not spend the night in the hospital. She felt fine and the slight concussion was not reason enough for her to take up space they might need for someone else. The doctor told her that she couldn’t be alone if they released her and Nick quickly jumped in. 

“She won’t be alone,” he said.

Sabrina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Just what she needed. As if her evening hadn’t been bad enough already. After she was discharged and Nick had taken her to his car, she slumped in the passenger seat. The exhaustion from the day settled deep in her bones.

For the first few minutes, the car radio was the only thing filling the silence, until Nick couldn’t take it anymore. “How did you get to the hospital, anyway?”

She sighed. She didn’t want to talk to him, but she also knew that he wouldn’t leave her alone until she did. “I washed off the blood and wrapped a towel around my hand. I realized that I needed to go to the hospital for the cuts, so I grabbed my bag and my phone pretty much on autopilot and went to the Stevensons, hoping they would be able to take me. I was about to explain to Mr. Stevenson what happened when I blacked out. He called an ambulance.”

It took everything in him not to look at her and focus on the road instead. “You fainted?” Nick considered turning the car around and taking her back to the hospital.

Sabrina shrugged. “I guess the adrenaline wore off when I realized that I wasn’t alone anymore.”

The words stung and he took a deep breath to work through it. She had gotten hurt and needed to go to their neighbors because he wasn’t there to help her. Because he left her alone. “Sabrina, I-”

“I really don’t want to talk, Nicholas,” she interrupted, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the cool glass of the window.

Something inside him broke at her use of his full name again. Up until now, he had been able to count the times she had called him that on hand. Since their fight, she didn’t call him anything else anymore, on the few instances they couldn’t avoid talking to each other completely.  He’d give everything to hear her call him Nick or even teasingly by his last name again .

**********

_I’m in pain from being numb it's like my life has just begun_   
_Open up to be shut down start again and back around_   
_This empty space is more than I can take_   
_I'm afraid that I've been played and I don't know what to say_   
_The words get lost along the way to my mouth from my brain_   
_The tears roll down but they do not make a sound_   
_And I feel like something is dying in my heart_   
_And I'm not quite whole without that part_

_ (TWO – In This Rough) _

The rest of the car ride was spent in uncomfortable silence, as was the walk up to their apartment. When Sabrina put down her bag in its usual spot, she sighed. “Thanks for getting me,” she broke the silence between them. “Sorry for interrupting your evening, you should go back to your girlfriend.”

Nick dropped his keys in the bowl, his brow furrowed. “You don’t actually believe I’d leave you alone like this.”

She turned towards the kitchen. “I’m okay. You don’t need to stick around.”

“You’re not supposed to be alone tonight, you heard the doctor.” It was the rational answer, the one she might accept.

“I don’t need a babysitter, Nicholas,” she replied as she poured herself a glass of water. Her throat felt like parchment.

“Can you please stop calling me that?” he snapped as he followed her, instantly regretting his tone. She didn’t need that right now.

Sabrina looked at him with a blank expression that tore at his insides. Her face was void of emotion, something he had never seen in her before. “That’s your name, though.”

Nick bit his tongue. Arguing with her about this would get him nowhere.

“I meant it, you don’t need to stay. I’m alright,” she repeated.

“And I meant it when I said I’m not leaving you on your own like this.” She wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place if he had been around. He owed it to her to at least be here now. Nick saw the way she leaned against the counter as she drank her water, her eyes fixed on the fridge. He followed her gaze and had to take a deep breath. 

The photo of them with Tom and Caroline was pinned to it with a magnet, taken on her last birthday when he had forced her to go out instead of holing up at home like she had planned to. They looked so happy, his arm wrapped tightly around her, her head on his shoulder, brilliant smiles on their faces. How had they gone from that to not being able to be in the same room?

He caught her grimace when she turned slightly, the movement probably aggravating her bruised back. “You should lie down. The doctor said you need to rest.”

“Nicholas, again, I’m okay. You don’t need to babysit me.” Sabrina knew that he was right, but she wasn’t about to back down. She didn’t need him to take care of her. She didn’t need him at all. And if she told herself that enough times, she’d believe it at some point.

“I’m not babysitting you, I’m making sure you follow the doctor’s instructions.” 

“Whatever.” She forced herself to move and walked past him to her room. She needed to clean up, there was still glass on her floor from the broken frame. 

Nick followed her, wanting to make sure she actually lay down. He took in the scene. The chair was still toppled over, there was glass on the floor and … Nick stopped dead in his tracks when he saw dried drops of blood from where she had cut herself. His mind wandered back to the prank Sabrina and Caroline had played on him, the puddle of fake blood that had  sent his mind spinning, if even for just a moment. The dried red spots on the floor were so much worse. She had been on the floor, really bleeding this time – because he wasn’t there.

Sabrina bent over to pick up the chair, the sound of her hissing in pain at the motion bringing him back to the present. 

“Let me,” he crossed the room and took the chair from her, putting it upright and pushing it out of the way. “I’ll grab a garbage bag for the shards and the vacuum.” Nick was in action mode, needing to stay busy. Otherwise he would focus on her blood on the floor again. “What were you even doing, were you redecorating?”

“Something like that,” Sabrina said quietly. 

He looked at her questioningly before letting his gaze wander around the room for changes. He hadn’t been in here since she pushed him out when the fought. Nick paused when he saw the stacked boxes in the corner. “Sabrina?” He looked around again, noticing items missing. Half of her bookshelf was empty. The trinkets she had bought on flea markets or in shops that had sat on her desk - gone. “What’s going on here?”

She knew she had to tell him. There was no other way out but to push forward now. “I’m moving out, Nicholas. I’m looking for a new apartment and as soon as I have one, I’ll get out of your hair.”

He looked at her like she lost her mind. “What the hell? Why - why would you ...” he didn’t know what to say. 

“It’s the right thing to do. This is your home and you haven’t really been here in weeks.”

“This is your home, too.”

She shook her head, wincing. “Not anymore.” After a short pause, she tried taking a deep breath. “I’ll get that bag for the shards,” she declared, needing to get out of the room. When she passed Nick, he gently grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her. 

“Forget about that. What do you mean, this isn’t your home anymore?” He hated how there was the slightest tremble to his voice. But he hated the flash of pain over her face even more before she pulled up the walls around herself again. 

“I’m pretty sure you know exactly what I mean,” she said, pulling her arm back from his grip. “I can’t stay here.”

Nick closed his eyes for a second, trying and failing again to make sense of this mess they were in. “I’m sorry, Sabrina. I’m so incredibly sorry for what I said. I was so angry, we both were, but I didn’t mean it. You have to believe me. I didn’t mean it . Please don’t leave because of that .”

Sabrina felt tears welling up and turned away. She didn’t want him to see her like that. Vulnerable. “That’s the thing, Nicholas. You did. You meant it, or you wouldn’t have said it. The anger just made it easier to get it off your chest. And to be honest, for old time’s sake, at least - I still don’t know how to deal with the fact that you regret what happened between us back then.” 

“I don’t. Sabrina, I don’t regret  that night.  I could never regret it, even if I  wanted to,” he argued, choking up. He was so close to losing her, the boxes a manifestation of the rift between them. 

“Please, just leave me alone,” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. After everything else that had happened tonight, she couldn’t deal with this, too. She was exhausted, it was just too much. 

Nick shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”  If he left now, he knew, felt it in his bones, that she’d vanish from his life forever. “Tell me what I need to do for you to believe me. Please.”

“There’s nothing you can do.” She sounded defeated.

“No, I don’t accept that. There has to be something. I don’t accept that I’m just supposed to let you walk away from this. After everything we went through together, the good and the bad. All those years.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, tears burning in his eyes. Nick couldn’t remember the last time he had cried in earnest. „I never wanted to hurt you, Sabrina. I know I did and I’m so, so sorry. What I said to you - I’ll never forgive myself for that. It was a cheap shot and it was a lie. I mean it, I could never regret that night. The trust you put in me, that faith ... back then I doubted I deserved it and I certainly don’t think I deserved it now. You trusted me and I threw it in your face. I’m so sorry.”

Sabrina had her back turned towards him, tears streaming down her face, her shoulders  slightly shaking. She mentally cursed him for still having this much power over her. „Do you have any idea how much that hurt?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. „That night meant so much to me. Even with everything that happened after, our bickering and fights since then - that night was a perfect bubble. It was untouchable. You made so sure back then that I didn’t regret it, before and after. That it was what I wanted. To hear you say that you regret that, that you wish it never happened? You didn’t just hurt me.  You ruined this thing that I thought was perfect.  You broke my heart, Nick.” She couldn’t force herself to use his full name. It had been a coping mechanism, meant to push him away, distance herself from him. But he had always been Nick to her, even in the bad moments. 

He watched helplessly as her uninjured hand moved to her face and she wiped at her cheeks. Nick felt like throwing up. The stories he had heard from their friends about her spiraling out of control over the last few weeks suddenly made  so much more sense and it was his fault. One angry lie had been enough to send the girl who meant so much to him over the edge and it scared him to his core. He felt his own tears rolling down his cheeks at the thought.

“Tell me what I can do. Please, Sabrina.” He didn’t care that he sounded like he was begging. 

“Let me go.”

Three simple words that made up an impossible request. 

“I can’t lose you.” The thought of not having her around anymore in a more permanent sense than the last few weeks broke his own heart. She had been the only real constant in his life for so long. The idea of her not being there anymore killed him.

“You don’t need me.” He barely heard her.

“No, that’s not true. That’s so far from the truth.” He closed the physical distance between them and put his hand on her shoulder, gently turning her around to face him. She let  him, no fight left in her. She was mentally and physically exhausted, the last few weeks having sucked whatever energy she had right out of her. He needed to say the next words to her face. “I will always need you in my life, Sabrina. The last few weeks have been the worst of my life since I lost my parents. Seeing glimpses of you but not being able to talk to you … it's unbearable. I miss my best  friend; God, I miss you so much. If anything, the last few weeks showed me how painfully empty my life is without you. Please, please let me try to make this right. Please don’t move out.” 

New tears rolled over her face. She wanted to believe him. So badly. “I miss you, too.”

Nick took a chance and carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders, trying not to hurt her. He felt her gasp at the contact, go rigid in his embrace before struggling weakly. He held onto her, resting his head on top of hers when she stopped and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He felt her tears seep through his shirt and buried a hand in her hair, holding her close as he let his own tears fall. “I’m so sorry, Sabrina,” he whispered again.

“I’m sorry, too,” Sabrina mumbled softly. In the quiet moments she hadn’t been able to escape, she had thought about that fight a lot, replayed it in her head over and over. She wasn’t without blame that it had reached a point of no return. She had taken shots at him for months, small needles pricking his skin that were bound to draw blood at some point. She had provoked him, even dated a guy she only barely tolerated to stick it to him. She had deliberately used his biggest fear against him. “I lashed out, said unfair things. Did stupid things because I knew they’d bug you. I hurt you, too. Nick, I hope you know that you are _nothing_ like Blackwood. I don’t even know why I said that. I let my anger get the best of me. But that’s not an excuse. It was unfair and a cheap shot.” She saw that now. “And so was what I said about Julia. I knew that it would hurt you and I said it anyway. I’m so sorry.”

“You did hurt me ,” he admitted quietly.  “But I lied and took it too far.” The hand that wasn’t buried in her hair drew soothing circles over her back, the ghost of a touch as not to hurt her. He felt like he could breathe freely again for the first time in weeks when she tentatively wrapped her arms around him, returning the embrace. “Please, stay.”

They stood like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s arms, the sounds of the city the only thing breaking the silence.  “I’ll stay ,” Sabrina finally said, the sound muffled. 

Nick’s shoulders sagged in relief , knowing that it was all he could expect from her at the moment, and without thinking, he pulled her closer, brought back to the present when she gasped in pain. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”

“It’s okay,” she replied, still extricating herself from his arms. “I should clean up this mess.” The blonde pointed at the untouched shards still on the floor.

“ _ We  _ are going to clean it up,” he corrected. He knew better than to argue that she should let him do it. “I’ll grab the garbage bag and the vacuum,” he said for the second time that night, leaving the room. 

Sabrina looked around. She didn’t feel like she was suffocating anymore, although they had a long way to go until things even had the chance to feel normal again. When Nick got back, they cleaned up in silence, working together. He cringed when she went to the bathroom to grab a damp cloth to wipe away the dried blood. When they were done and the last traces of her accident were gone from the bathroom as well, she sat on the edge of her bed. 

“I should let you get some rest. It’s been a long day,” Nick said.

Sabrina looked at her hands in her lap, debating with herself. “Can you stay with me? At least until I’m asleep?”  She was scared that everything that had happened would catch up with her again when she was alone.

“Of course,” he answered. “I’ll just get changed. Are you okay to do that or do you need help?” Her back was one big bruise after all and one or her hands not really useful.

“I’ll manage,” she replied.

“Be right back, then. Tell me if you need help. Please.”

A while later, they lay next to each other in her bed, their pinkies the only thing touching.

“This feels wrong,  Spellman ,” Nick noted. “Come here.” He opened his arms.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She craved being close to him again, but the things still between them kept her from moving. “What would your girlfriend say?” The thought of Julia left a bitter taste in her mouth.

“She’d have to deal with it,” he stated , meaning it. Nick was done with pushing Sabrina away to appease his girlfriend. He had come too close to losing her . Julia , but also Sabrina, needed to learn that they were both a part of his life and neither was going anywhere . “Come on. You should stay off your back anyway , this has got to hurt. I mean, your bed is soft, but not that soft. Come on, I’ll be your human body pillow.”

Sabrina looked at him for a while before she sighed. “Alright.” She rolled over into his arms, breathing a sigh of relief when she was off her back. This was a tiny first step towards their normality. She only hoped they wouldn’t go off course again.

**********

“Come dance with me, princess,” Tom said, holding his hand out to Sabrina. The friends had decided to go to a jazz bar to celebrate that everyone was back from spring break. The time off back in Greendale had also helped Sabrina and Nick to get a better footing and repair their friendship somewhat.

Despite the night they had slept in each other’s arms, things had been rocky for a while, the wounds not healed yet. Nick had helped Sabrina unpack the boxes again and gotten a new frame for the poster of Dracula, putting it back in its rightful place – but those small gestures didn’t change the fact that there was still a whole herd of elephants in the apartment that they needed to get rid of somehow if them living together was supposed to work.

They had sat down and talked, unpacking uncomfortable topics that they had chosen to ignore before, shoving them aside like they’d magically fix themselves. It had ended in tears and they had sat in their living room, holding each other as the tears fell, both feeling lighter afterwards. Things had looked up after that, despite the fact that Julia was still a sore topic between them. Nick paid closer attention to his girlfriend’s actions, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t still manage to take shots at Sabrina, who responded in kind. She just made sure not to direct her anger at Nick anymore. They were in a better place, slowly finding their way back to each other, and she didn’t want to risk the progress they had made.

She had also stopped her excessive dating and partying after her accident, sure that her exhaustion, emotional as well as physical, had played a part in that whole mess. Sabrina had found back to her  old self mostly, even if traces of the melancholia that had haunted her for weeks sometimes resurfaced.

Sabrina shook her head. “No way, I just sat down two minutes ago because Caroline wouldn’t dance with Elliot anymore and I had to jump in.” 

The tall redheaded girl sighed and looked at the guy in question over her shoulder with a fond smile. “Remind me again why I thought it was a good idea to date a guy who’s dancing for a sport?” They had started dating shortly before spring break and Sabrina was over the moon for her friend.

“Because you like a guy who can set a rhythm?” Tom suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Sabrina, who had just taken a sip from her drink, snorted, her hand flying to her mouth so she wouldn’t make a mess, causing everyone to laugh.

“You okay there,  Spellman ?” Nick asked, grinning. He sat at the back of the booth with Julia, who looked bored to be there and refused to dance because her shoes were new and she didn’t want to ruin them. Nick had been on the  dance floor with Sabrina earlier instead, who hadn’t been able to stop the smug smile on her face when she had seen the death stare Julia was sending her way.

“Just peachy,” the blonde answered before narrowing her eyes at Tom. “Warn me next time, okay?”

“Only if you dance with me,” he bartered.

Sabrina sighed dramatically. “Fine. But only to shut you up.”

“Taking one for the team, I knew there was a reason I liked you,” Caroline quipped, leaning back against Elliot, who unhelpfully supplied: “Just step on his feet if you have enough.”

Tom laughed and grabbed Sabrina’s hand. “She doesn’t weigh anything, I wouldn’t even notice.” With that, he pulled her to the  dance floor , where he twirled her around, making her laugh and the skirt of her dress billow out.

After a while, another couple bumped into them, making Sabrina stumble. Tom caught her, grinning at the flustered look on her face. “Hi there.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the save.”

“Of course, princess.” Tom looked at her for a moment, taking in the happy smile on her face, the way her eyes shone. “You know, I’m glad you found yourself again. I was worried there for a while.” He twirled her out of his arms and back in again.

“Sorry, I was a real mess,” Sabrina said, unable to stop the sigh coming over her lips.

He nodded. “You were. I like this version of you better. A lot.” Tom hesitated for a moment, then pulled her a bit closer. “I know I’ve asked before, but: Go on a date with me, Sabrina.” He had asked her a few times over the time they knew each other, the answer always the same.

The blonde girl bit her lower lip, looking up at him. His tousled hair hung in his eyes and despite the history of the question, there was still a hopeful little smile on his face. “You know what? Yes, I’ll go on a date with you,” she decided. Tom was a great guy, someone she could trust. Who had been there when she had been at her worst and had not given up on her when he could have just walked out. Sabrina chose to take the risk.

“I mean, come on, what’s the worst that -” he started, but blinked when she laughed. “Wait, what?” Her answer only now really registered with him and a smile slowly spread over his face. “You said yes.”

Sabrina playfully rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me regret it.” She shrieked with laughter when Tom lifted her off her feet, spinning her around.

“Don’t worry, princess, you won’t,” he reassured her before surprising them both when he leaned down and placed a short, sweet kiss on her lips that was over before it really began. “Sorry, was that …" he began when he saw the dumbstruck look on her face. He stopped himself when she shook her head.

“I liked it,” she answered. And she had. While the kiss had been unexpected, it had felt nice. Innocent. Sweet. Safe. Exactly what she needed right now. She should have said yes to Tom sooner. A small smile appeared on her face. “Are you going to make me ask for another?”

He grinned at her question, leaning in again. “You’re in luck, there’s more where that came from. Just got a delivery of a whole new batch.” When he kissed her this time, her arms snaked around his neck, holding him close, neither of them caring that they were still in the middle of the  dance floor .

Across the room, Caroline almost spat out the sip of her drink she had just taken. “Holy shit!” she exclaimed, elbowing Elliot and pointing at them. 

“I didn’t see that coming,” he said, surprise clear on his face. 

“Looks like he finally wore her down,” Julia supplied, shrugging. 

“Nobody asked you,” Caroline mumbled under her breath, huffing when Elliot pinched her waist to keep her quiet. He had quickly picked up on his girlfriend’s open animosity to the dark-haired girl.

Nick’s arm around Julia’s shoulders tightened slightly when he saw them kissing. It wasn’t bothering him. Absolutely not. Tom was a good guy, he’d treat Sabrina right. And he had been aware that Tom liked Sabrina in a way that could become something more than just friendship, given the chance. Hell, Nick had even witnessed the other guy asking his best friend out a couple of times, but she had always let him down gently. Apparently not this time. But it still felt wrong to see them like this . And it stung , a small voice in his head reminding him that she had turned him down when he had asked her on a date , especially after spending the night with each other. He forced himself to smile when they came back, Tom’s arm slung around Sabrina’s waist.

Caroline catcalled, making the people on the neighboring table look over. She ignored them and focused on her friends. “Look at you, steaming up the  dance floor !”

Sabrina felt her cheeks heat up and hoped they weren’t as red as they felt. “Oh, shut up,” she answered weakly.

“Yeah, leave my date alone,” Tom added, grinning from ear to ear as he sat down, pulling her into the seat next to him she had occupied earlier that night, draping his arm around her shoulders as soon as she sat down, happy as she leaned into him. He caught Nick watching them, who averted his gaze and kissed  Julia, who quickly pushed him away, uncomfortable with the public display of affection . He grabbed his beer instead and took a sip . Tom pressed his lips to Sabrina’s hair and smiled into the platinum tresses when she shifted closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	14. I'm Not the Kind to Try to Tell You Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you all so much for the feedback on the last chapter, that really meant a lot and is very much appreciated! And I'm glad you liked fate pushing their hand just a little bit when I came to talking to each other, because those two weren't going to figure things out without a little nudge in the right direction.
> 
> But enough babbling, on with the story!
> 
> Let me know what you think?

_I never meant to be the one to let you down_   
_If anything, I thought I saw myself going first_   
_I didn't know how to stick around_   
_How to see anybody but me getting hurt_

_ (Sara Bareilles – Hold My Heart) _

Sabrina sat cross-legged on the couch, a slice of pizza in her hand. “We haven’t done this in forever,” she said before taking a bite.

“True. There’s usually always someone else around,” Nick agreed.

They had decided to stay home and just talk, like they  used to . Things had significantly improved since they had cried in each other’s arms, but there was still work to be done, their friendship not really where it was before their fallout and everything that had led up to it. This, them spending the evening together on their couch without other people around, helped. 

“I missed it,” she confessed with the tiniest shrug, trying to play it off.

He smiled. “I missed it, too, Spellman. We used to spend so much time together, just the two of us. Planning your crusades against Hawthorne before you even suggested it to anyone else.”

Sabrina laughed. “Every single one was totally worth it.”

“I’m not saying they weren’t. Time well spent.” Nick took her in. There was a levity about her that he hadn’t seen in a long time and he had no doubt that it was, at least partly, thanks to Tom. They had been together since that night at the club two months ago and the light had steadily returned to his best friend. The thought that he had, at least somewhat, been to blame that it had ben snuffed out in the first place still killed him and Nick knew that it would haunt him for a long time.

“Oh, definitely well spent.” She paused for a moment, lost in memories of them sitting on her bed in the mortuary, throwing ideas back and forth. Or simply lying next to each other, staring at the ceiling as they talked about everything and nothing. She put her pizza down before looking at him. “We should make this a regular thing again,” Sabrina suggested. “Just us, spending time together.”

He nodded. “I’d like that. I feel like we missed out on a lot because we were caught up in other things.” Spending time like this was exactly what they needed. “What do you say: Thursday nights are blocked from now on for Spellman-Scratch time?”

Sabrina smiled. “Sounds perfect.” She meant it. She had missed spending time with him, had at one point feared it was impossible to return to this.

“Great.” His answering smile made her feel lighter somehow. “So, how are things at the shelter?” It was an innocent enough topic. Safe. 

She picked up her pizza again. “Battling an influx of kittens. I might have to bring a few home again, there’s a pair that was found in a box in a trash can. They’re only about a week old and malnourished, so they need to be fed at night and just need some extra care.”

Nick rubbed her knee in comfort. “Whoever put those kittens in the trash can go to hell. And fine by me. If you need any help, let me know.”

“I’ll remind you that you said that when I have to feed them at 2 AM,” Sabrina said, smiling, before taking a bite of her food. 

“Or you could have Tom stay over and help with that,” he quickly suggested.

She laughed, knowing all too well how Nick got when woken up. “I could do that. I know you need your beauty sleep, Scratch,” the blonde teased.

“It’s not easy being this handsome, Spellman,” he fired back, laughing when she rolled her eyes. “How are things with Tom, anyway?” The way he posed the question was nonchalant, but there was still something that constricted in his chest at the thought of them, even if he quickly pushed it aside.

She paused for a moment before answering. Not because there were any problems – it just felt weird to talk to Nick about her relationship. “Everything’s good. We’re … yeah, we’re good,” Sabrina finally answered.

“Sabrina, you can talk to me about it,” he said, picking up on her hesitance. 

“Don’t you think it’s weird?” Sabrina asked. “I mean, given … well, our history.”

He reached over and squeezed her knee. “It’s only weird if we let it get that way. Sabrina, you’re my best friend and Tom’s a good friend, too. Talking about this should be normal.”

She sighed. “I guess you’re right. You have that annoying habit.”

Nick smiled. “I know, you hate it.”

“Hate is such a harsh word. I’d call it a strong dislike.”

He shook his head. “Call it what you want. You don’t like it one bit, let’s agree on that.” When she shrugged with an innocent smile, Nick laughed. “But, back to the topic. You’re happy?”

Sabrina smiled. “I am. Tom makes me happy.” She bit her lip, wondering if she should continue and then decided to just go ahead. “Being with him is easy. There are no big expectations or anything. It’s …. I don’t know. Comfortable? I just feel calm when I’m with him.”

“That’s good,” he answered. He had cringed a little internally when she called her relationship comfortable, but he chose not to comment on that. Nick just thought that she deserved more than ‘comfortable’. She deserved fireworks and passion and what she said sounded nice enough, but not like the things that would make her happy in the long run. Sabrina needed something that filled every fiber of her being and he didn’t get that feeling from her words. At one point in the past, he had thought that maybe, he could be the one to love her like that. That particular ship had obviously sunk before even leaving the harbor – not that it mattered now. She was with Tom and happy that way.

“Yeah, it is,” she agreed.

Nick took a deep breath. “Sabrina … there’s something I need to ask. And if you don’t want to answer, that’s fine, but I just need to get this out.” He paused when he saw concern cloud her face. “Why did you say yes to him in the end when he asked you out? And why didn’t you when I asked?” The question had been at the back of his mind ever since Sabrina and Tom had gotten together, their relationship unearthing it again from that place deep inside where it had been buried.

“Nick …" Sabrina sighed.

“Sorry, I … you don’t have to answer. I’m sorry,” he quickly said.

“No, it’s … I owe you that explanation,” she conceded. “Saying yes to Tom was easy in the end. He was a good friend and he was there when  _ we  _ didn’t talk. He could have walked away, but he didn’t. So when he asked me out in that club, saying yes just felt right.” She took a deep breath. “But that’s also kind of the main difference. Tom was a good friend before we started dating, and yes, he was there throughout that time. But Nick, when you asked me, that was something completely different. You’ve been my best friend for so long. You’ve proven time and time again that at least in some ways, you know me better than I know myself. We … we had been making out for months and had sex the night before, for crying out loud.” 

Sabrina paused for a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order. “What I’m trying to say is … had the date with Tom gone wrong, it would have been upsetting, yes, but looking at where we were coming from, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world and we would have managed to brush it aside and laugh about it. With you … Nick, with you, there was just so much more to lose and I was terrified at the thought. I obviously could have handled it better, but that’s what it comes down to in the end. I was paralyzed with fear, so I said no.” She decided to leave out the part where she had changed her mind about a potential date in New York. It wouldn’t do them any good to put that piece of information on the table. Not now when they were both in relationships and that was water under the bridge. A small, sad smile appeared on her face. “It’s definitely not that I didn’t trust you to take me on a date,” she said, recalling his words from their fight. 

“Sabrina …“ Nick was at a loss for words. For all her bravado and the power and confidence she radiated, it had all come down to fear. He put their pizza boxes aside, pulled her into his arms and held her close, taking another deep breath when she burrowed into his embrace. He felt something slot back into place between them in that moment that had been missing for a long time.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I never wanted to make you feel like I didn’t trust you.”

“No, I’m sorry. I never should have said that,” he kissed her temple, dread at his own words washing over him again. Nick pulled her closer, willing the memory away.

She shook her head but didn’t move away. “I think in a way, it’s good you said it. I mean, it would have obviously been better if things hadn’t blown up as big as they did, but … it also cleared the air. We just had to work our way through the rubble afterwards.”

“And the shards and the boxes.” Nick pulled away and took her hand, looking at the small scars that would forever be a reminder of their fight and its fallout. His thumb brushed over the soft pink lines that would hopefully pale with time. “That’s my fault.”

“Don’t go there,” Sabrina said. “I was stupid that night. I probably wouldn’t have fallen if I had grabbed the stepladder instead of my old chair.”

“But you wanted to move out because of me,” he argued. 

“Nick, we’ve talked about this. We were both guilty that things happened the way they did.”

“But I-” he started, closing his mouth at the look she sent him. There was no use arguing about this with her. Nick still felt guilty, no matter what she said. He had driven her to extremes and it was something he had to live with. 

Sabrina grabbed their pizza boxes again, changing the subject. “Eat your food before it gets cold. Cold pizza is only allowed as hangover food, you know the rules.”

“That’s one of Ambrose’s rules.” 

“So? Even he is right sometimes,” she quipped.

He smiled. “I’ll tell him you said that.”

“You’d never rat me out.”

“You sound really confident about that,” Nick noted.

Sabrina shrugged. “I’m confident because I know you wouldn’t want to end up with a limb missing.”

He threw his head back in laughter at the threat. “And here I thought the threats of bodily harm were reserved for your cousin.”

She rolled her eyes. “The death threats are reserved for Ambrose. Hurt and maim … now that’s a different story. You should really know that by now, Scratch. I’m a little disappointed.”

He snorted at her words. “You know, I remember you once telling me I was the weird one in this friendship. I have my doubts.” Nick stole a slice of pizza from Sabrina and grinned when he took a bite. “On the other hand, that’s probably why we get along.”

The blonde grabbed a slice from his box in return, looking at him innocently when she took a bite as well. It reminded her of them stealing her aunt Hilda’s pancakes from each other, back when they were still at the mortuary. When things were simple. “So … how are you and Julia?” She didn’t especially care about 50 percent of the answer to that question, but she owed it to Nick. 

He raised his eyebrow at the question. “Do you actually want to know?” Nick was well aware that she was far away from liking his girlfriend, even if things were mostly civil now. Shortly after that night at the club when Sabrina and Tom had gotten together, he had heard Julia’s snide commentary about their “adorably innocent” relationship and how it felt “like siblings dating” and Sabrina hadn’t held back, but Nick completely understood it setting her off. He had later told Julia in no uncertain terms to leave them, but especially Sabrina, alone. It had resulted in an argument and Julia icing him out for a few days, but that had blown over quickly.

She shrugged. “Yeah, of course.” The only thing she really wanted to know was if he was happy, the rest didn’t really matter to her. Sabrina could definitely do without details. When the doubtful look on Nick’s face remained, she sighed. “Nick, you know I don’t exactly like her and she’s not really a fan of me, either. But you’re my best friend, I care about you. A lot, if you haven’t noticed. I want to know if you’re happy.”

A moment of silence passed between them before he spoke. “I am happy,” he finally said. “Things are going well. I … think we’re really getting serious.” Julia had hinted about moving in together while Nick and Sabrina hadn’t spoken, but he had been too wrapped up in all that to really give it much thought. Things had changed, though, and with everything settling down, the thought of making things permanent with his girlfriend had snuck up on him more and more. 

“Serious, huh?” She asked. Had it been another girl, Sabrina would have been happy for him. But with Julia … she had a really bad feeling about that. 

He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know if it’s the fact that she keeps bringing up her sister’s engagement to that lawyer she’s been dating, but … I think that’s where we’re headed, too.” Nick hadn’t looked at her when he spoke, afraid of what he’d see on her face. When he finally mustered the courage to raise his eyes, the expression on his best friend’s face was unreadable. 

Sabrina didn’t know what to say. Something inside her screamed to tell him not to do it. That going down that path would lead to nothing good. But she was afraid to speak up, afraid that their friendship was still too fragile for that. “You want to marry her,” she stated, no question in her voice. 

There was another pause while Nick tried to decipher the look on her face. When he came up empty, he nodded again. “I do. I … want to ask her. Not next week or next month, but … I want to ask her.”

Sabrina put her pizza on the coffee table, not exactly hungry anymore. She pulled her legs up on the couch and wrapped her arms around them, her chin resting on her knees. “Are you really sure?”

Nick took her in. She looked like she was trying to shield herself from harm, wrapped up as small as humanly possible. She looked tiny next to him on the couch. But this wasn’t something he could protect her from. “I’m sure. Why are you asking?”

She bit her bottom lip, unsure how to say what was going through her head without risking pushing him away. But the voice in her head grew louder with each passing second. “I … I just …” She took a deep breath, trying to sort her thoughts. “I guess she’s just not the kind of person I thought you’d want to spend the rest of your life with.”

“What do you mean?” Nick could see that she was struggling and he had a good idea why, the same fear starting to pump through his own veins. 

“I don’t know. I just … God, this is hard,” Sabrina mumbled. 

He put his hand on top of hers. “Talk to me,” he prompted. 

She pressed her lips together for a moment before deciding to just get it over with. “You can’t argue that your girlfriend isn’t the most loving person on the planet. I’ve seen you, she pushes you away when you try to kiss her and looks uncomfortable when you’re close. I just always thought you’d be with someone … I don’t know, warmer?” Given the cold home his uncle had provided, didn’t it make sense that he should look for someone who made him feel loved instead of pushing him away?

Nick sighed at the almost nervous look on her face. “Julia’s just not fond of PDAs, that’s all,” he explained. They’d had that talk before when he had confronted his girlfriend about pushing him away in public, but he accepted that she wasn’t fond of those things. 

“So, what? She’ll only let you come closer than an arm’s length when it’s just the two of you?” Her pushing him away hadn’t just happened in bars or other public settings. The blonde had witnessed it on the few occasions she and Tom had stuck around when the other couple was at the apartment, too. 

“Sabrina …”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get hurt, Nick,” she replied. She could learn to accept Julia if she was sure the other woman wouldn’t hurt him, but that wasn’t the case. A part of Sabrina still waited for the other shoe to drop. 

A small smile appeared on his face. “I won’t.” His own food joined hers on the table and he leaned back, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He wanted to reassure both of them that everything was okay between them. 

“I hope you’re right,” she muttered, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“I am.” He jostled her a little. “Besides, I have you if I want to cuddle.” 

Sabrina couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped her. “You shouldn’t need to come to your best friend when you want to cuddle.”

“Look … yes, Julia isn’t the most affectionate person on the planet , but she has other qualities.”

She snorted. “Don’t ever let Caroline hear you say that.”

“Not what I meant,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, I know that and you know that … and she would know that, but just not care,” Sabrina answered, grinning up at him.

Nick smiled and kissed her temple, something in him settling down a little more each time he did it, the realization still manifesting that she allowed him to be that close again. “Give her ten to twenty more years and she could give your aunt Zelda a run for her money. Caroline can be ruthless.”

The blonde at his side laughed. “Probably the reason why I like her so much. She even has the same red hair.”

“Burn the witch,” Nick joked, yelping when Sabrina mockingly elbowed his side before settling into his embrace again.

“Not funny,” Sabrina said. “Do you know how depressing that class on the New England witch trials is?” While incredibly interesting from a social perspective, the amount of people who lost their lives and the way they died never failed to send a shiver down her spine.

He grimaced. He had forgotten about that particular class she took this semester. “Sorry,” he mumbled, rubbing her shoulder. “Want to tell me about it?”

She shook her head. “I’m still trying to get over that idiot that got kicked out of class last week.”

“What happened?” This was the first time he heard about that.

“This moron suggested we should reenact a trial and hanging to get a better visual.” Sabrina started. “And he suggested Caroline and I should be the witches. He’s lucky I’m not a real witch or I would have hexed him six ways from Sunday.”

“Idiot,” Nick grumbled, subconsciously pulling her the slightest bit closer. The mere idea of anyone hurting her, even if just hypothetical, made him restless.

"You can say that again. But I don’t really want to think about that anymore, can we change the subject?” The thoughts didn’t sit right with her.

“Sure. Did I tell you that Ambrose called me last week?”

That certainly got her attention. “You didn’t. What did he want?”

Nick grinned. “Apparently he got on Prudence’s bad side and needed help to find a gift to apologize.”

“What did my cousin do?” Sabrina narrowed her eyes.

“No idea, he wouldn’t say. But why he called me for help … beats me. It’s not like Prudence and I are particularly close.” He shrugged slightly.

“But you have experience with apology gifts,” she answered, biting her tongue the second the words came over her lips.

If Nick noticed the dig, he didn’t let it show. “You’ve got a point. Anyway, he promised to let me know how it went.” Before Sabrina could say anything, he added: “And I’ll tell you, promise.”

“Good, I want to be prepared for whatever their deal is the next time I’m in Greendale,” she noted.

He paused for a moment. “I’ll go home with you next time if that’s okay,” he finally said, unsure where they stood in that regard.

Sabrina smiled, a brilliant thing that lit up their living room. “Of course. I told you before we moved here that the mortuary will always be your home as much as it is mine. That hasn’t changed.”

Nick exhaled a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. “Thank you, Spellman.”

“Anytime, Scratch,” she replied and kissed his cheek. “Now, how do you feel about watching a movie?”

**********

_What's that sound?_   
_It'll turn you around_   
_It's a doll revolution_   
_They're taking over and they're tearing it down_   
_It's a doll revolution_

_ (The Bangles – Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution)) _

A few weeks later, Nick and Tom exchanged questioning glances when they walked into the apartment and were greeted by loud music. Nick was about to call for Sabrina when he saw her and Caroline jumping around in the living room. They had pushed the coffee table to the side to have some more room and were laughing as what Nick recognized as "Black Velvet” rang through the apartment. 

Since the girls hadn’t noticed them, he signaled for Tom to be quiet and grabbed his phone. Nick recording a video as Sabrina and Caroline danced, moving their bodies to the beat, twirling each other around, grinding their hips mockingly to the song and laughing as they sang along at the top of their lungs. 

Even if they were just joking around, Nick couldn’t help but watch Sabrina move, her hands in the air, her eyes closed as she let the music take control over her body for a moment. “Send me that video, Scratch?” Tom asked, bringing him back to the present. 

“Obviously, right after sending it to Ambrose,” Nick answered, grinning. Sabrina would kill him when she found out, but this opportunity was too good to pass up. He hadn’t realized that the song already changed again when Tom started clapping, alerting the girls to their presence who stopped jumping around to a Bangles song he was sure he had heard before but couldn’t name. 

“Impressive playlist, princess,” Tom said, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face as Sabrina put her hands on her hips. Caroline scrambled for the remote to turn the music down somewhat while the blonde glared at Nick. 

“You took a video of that, didn’t you?” She asked, already aware of the answer.

“Ambrose will be so happy to see that his little cousin is having fun,” Nick answered, grinning. 

Her eyes widened. “Don’t you dare.” Ambrose would never let her live it down. 

She slowly approached them and Nick dropped his bag to the floor, meanwhile opening the messenger and tapping on the conversation with the only male member of the Spellman family, quickly selecting the video and sending it out. “Too late,” he answered before pressing the button to record a voice message. “I hope you enjoy this, Sabrina is probably going to kill me now,” he quickly spoke before taking off down the hallway.

“Scratch! Get back here!” Sabrina called, running after him – or at least she tried to, because Tom wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in for a quick kiss. She pushed him away after a moment. “Sorry, not now, I have a roommate to kill,” she informed him, freeing herself from his grip. 

At least Nick wasn’t hard to find, she just had to follow the message alerts from his phone, no doubt Ambrose responding to what he had sent him. Sabrina found him leaning against his bed, typing on his phone.

“I hate you, Nick,” she said, quickly crossing the room.

He snorted, shaking his head. “You don’t.”

“Give me that phone and nobody gets hurt,” Sabrina answered, grabbing for the dreaded piece of technology. 

Nick held it out of her reach. “You know that it’s too late and Ambrose already has the video, right? So does Tom, by the way.”

“And I want to get rid of it before you send it to even more people,” she said, grabbing for the phone again. “Seriously?!” She pursed her lips as he held the phone over his head. 

“Might want to grab that stepladder, Spellman,” he quipped, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Scratch, I swear to …" she started, but stopped herself, instead jumping up. While she didn’t reach the phone, she at least threw him off balance and both of them landed on his bed, wrestling for the phone. 

Caroline and Tom had followed the noise, watching them fight over the phone – or rather Nick laughing while holding the phone out of Sabrina’s reach with one hand while keeping her in place with the other.

“Isn’t this kind of weird for you?” Caroline asked.

Tom shrugged. “Not really. It’s just how they are, you know that as well as I do.”

“Sure, but … it doesn’t bother you even a little bit? You’re not jealous?” 

Sabrina dug her fingers into Nick’s side, knowing fully well which spot would make him double over with laughter. Neither of them had even noticed that they weren’t alone anymore. 

He sighed. “It doesn’t. First of all, I trust Sabrina not to do anything stupid. And second … after everything, I’m glad they are back to this. You saw them, they weren’t themselves after whatever the hell happened.” That was the only thing that actually did bother him – that Sabrina still wouldn’t tell him what that fight had been about. “So, no, I’m not jealous. I trust Sabrina and Nick’s with Julia, after all. There’s no reason to get worked up.”

“I’ll never understand that, but whatever floats his boat,” Caroline said, rolling her eyes. She had noticed a shift in Sabrina’s behavior since her accident and she and Nick had started to fix things, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t make her distaste known. At least Julia had cut back on the remarks, too – Nick had finally told her to cut the crap.

“I don’t get it, either, but Sabrina mentioned that apparently, things are getting serious. As in Nick wants to put a ring on it serious,” Tom mumbled, watching as Nick grabbed Sabrina’s hand so she couldn’t torment him anymore.

“Wow, that’s … a lot.” The redheaded girl had no idea what to say.

Nick’s phone dropped to the floor and Sabrina scrambled off the bed, letting out a triumphant “Ha!” as she snatched it. She frowned when she found the screen locked. “Unlock it,” she demanded.

“Why would I do that?” He grinned, sitting up. “What would I get out of it?”

“A tombstone. Currently you’re getting buried in an unmarked grave in the Greendale woods,” Sabrina informed him, crossing her arms. 

“Harsh, Spellman. All of that over a video?” 

She shrugged. “Zelda has threatened to kill Hilda for less.”

“I really need to meet those people,” Caroline muttered. 

“You know that I’ll just ask Tom or Ambrose to send it to me again if you delete it, right?” Nick asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Oh, Tom won’t send it to you,” Sabrina said with an innocent smile directed at her boyfriend.

“I won’t? I mean, you looked pretty hot, that video is nothing to be ashamed of,” the guy in question declared, grinning.

“You won’t. Not if you ever want to have sex again,” she stated bluntly.

Tom’s eyes widened. Although he was pretty sure that she didn’t mean it … better safe than sorry. “Sorry, Scratch, you’re on your own.”

“Some friend you are,” Nick complained. “Alright, give me the damn phone. I don’t want you to murder me in my sleep,” he gave in, rolling his eyes when she handed him the device with a triumphant smile. He’d just have to download it again from the cloud and he knew that Sabrina was aware of that – this whole thing was just about the principle of things. “Happy?” He asked when he had deleted the file.

“Very,” she answered, the smile still plastered on her face as she crossed the room and pushed herself up on her tiptoes to kiss Tom. “Hey,” she greeted. “Sorry about earlier, I was a little preoccupied.”

“You don’t say,” he answered, pecking her lips again. “So, now that the Murder in the Rue Morgue was averted, what the hell did Nick and I even walk in on?” Tom put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.

“We were … decompressing,” she started. When he raised his eyebrows, Sabrina shrugged. “Four exams in one week are stressful. We needed to get rid of some of the tension.”

“So you decided to dance,” he said slowly.

“Well, it worked”, the blonde explained, snuggling closer into his embrace. “At least until someone decided to take a video,” she directed a mocking glare in Nick’s direction.

He had watched the exchange between them, how they gravitated towards each other, and felt a pang in his chest. Nick wasn’t jealous of Tom per se, even if it still felt weird seeing them together and a part of him thought he might never get used to the sight, but he couldn’t help but envy them a little for the way they behaved around each other, their ease of showing their affection. Nick slightly shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. Even if that wasn’t in the cards for him, he was still happy. 

“I have no regrets. Hearing what Ambrose has to say about that video is all the compensation I’ll ever need,” he joked, laughing when Sabrina stuck out her tongue.


	15. Life Has A Funny Way Of Sneaking Up On You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for the feedback, it was very much appreciated (as always). I don't think I've ever seen people start a mini-discussion before, so that was really great to see :-D 
> 
> Anyway, for people on tumblr - this chapter contains a sentence I posted a while ago for a word prompt, if you guys remember. Now you'll finally learn who that commentar was directed at. 
> 
> Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it!

_Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you_   
_When you think everything's okay and everything's going right_   
_And life has a funny way of helping you out when_   
_You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face_

_ (Alanis Morrissette – Ironic) _

“Remind me again why I decided law school was a good idea?” Roz sighed, sinking further into the pillows she was propped up against.

Sabrina laughed. “Because you wanted to fight injustices?” She saw her friend grimace on her screen.

“Right, there was that,” the other girl acknowledged, followed by another sigh. “Why didn’t you tell me that this was a stupid idea, Brina? I thought we were friends!”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Because the world needs more lawyers like you, Rosalind Walker. Fighting the good fight and all that.”

“And what about you?”

“Me? I’m going to try and use my influence to improve the next generation and put you out of business eventually,” Sabrina joked, grinning.

“I doubt you’ll manage that on your own, but I like the attitude,” Roz answered, taking a sip from her coffee. “When are you coming back to Greendale? I miss doing this in person.”

“Not before Christmas, sorry.”

“That’s still forever to go,” the brunette complained as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. 

“Six weeks, Roz, they’ll go by faster than you think,” Sabrina said, shaking her head. It was hard to wrap her head around that they had already started their fourth year of college. Where had the time gone? So many things had happened that the years almost blurred together in her mind.

“And then we’ll finally get to meet Tom,” Roz said, watching with a smile as Sabrina grabbed one of the throw pillows from the couch she was sitting on and hugged it to herself. “Are you nervous about introducing him to your aunts?”

She shook her head. “No, they already met him when they were here for my birthday last year.” That had been a great surprise. Her aunts as well as Ambrose had come to New Orleans for her 21 st birthday, Nick keeping their secret. Sabrina had come home from classes that day to find the three of them in the living room, Nick picking up the bag she had dropped with a smile as she threw herself into the waiting arms of her aunts.

“Oh, right, of course,” Roz said, shaking her head. “Sorry, school is really kicking my ass at the moment.”

Sabrina shook her head. “Don’t apologize, I know the feeling.” She heard the front door open and close and frowned. “Hang on a second.” Nick had left close to an hour ago, headed over to Julia’s place – and she hadn’t expected to see him again today. He had gone there with the plan to spend the day with his girlfriend and propose to her after dinner. She had refrained from commenting on that, even if she was less than happy about it. But at least it hadn’t come of nowhere, Nick had mentioned his plans before, after all.

“Nick? Did you forget anything?” She asked. When she didn’t get an answer, her frown deepened as she leaned slightly to the side and saw Nick leaning against the front door, his eyes closed, shoulders sagged, a bouquet of roses hanging limply in his hand for a second before he dropped the flowers. “Sorry, Roz, I have to go, something happened,” the blonde said and put the laptop on the table, barely focusing on her friend anymore.

Roz looked concerned as Sabrina shifted anxiously. “Of course, tell me later if you can?”

“Sure, I will. Sorry for cutting this short.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like you planned it. Bye!” Roz ended the call and Sabrina closed her laptop, not bothering to power it down first.

She felt like Nick hadn’t even noticed her approaching with the way his eyes snapped open when she carefully put her hand on his shoulder. His eyes were bloodshot and the pain in his gaze knocked the breath of out her. “Nick? What happened?” she asked quietly, her gaze searching.

“It’s over,” he only provided, staring at the opposite wall. 

“What? What are you talking about?” Sabrina rubbed his shoulder in comfort.

“Julia and I, we’re over.” He tiredly moved his head to the side and looked at her.

She frowned, trying to catch up. He had left the apartment about an hour ago with the plans to propose later and now they were broken up? Sabrina slightly shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “Come on, let’s sit down, okay? And then  you’re going to tell me what’s going on.” When he pushed himself off the door and started towards the living room, she stopped him gently. “Let’s get this off first?” She tugged on his jacket.

“Right, yeah,” Nick agreed, shrugging out of the leather jacket and toeing off his shoes, carelessly kicking them to the side. 

Sabrina grabbed the jacket before it fell to the floor and put it on the coat rack, shoving his shoes out of the way with her foot as well. She picked up the flowers and dropped them on the kitchen counter, out of sight, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge along with a glass before she joined Nick, who had sat on the couch, leaning back and staring at the black tv screen, a far-away look on his face. She poured him a glass of water but placed it on the table when he simply shook his head. 

“Tell me what happened?” Nick closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When he didn’t speak, Sabrina put a hand on his knee. “If you need time -” she started, but he shook his head again.

“I used my key to let myself into her apartment,” Nick said, opening his eyes to look at his best friend. “I walked in on her with another guy, right there on the couch.” 

Her eyes widened. “Wait, what? Are you … I can’t believe it.” Had a part of her dreaded the day that Julia would break Nick’s heart in some way because she didn’t trust the other woman? Yes. But this was not something she had seen coming, despite Julia’s reputation from the time before Nick and her had started dating.

“Am I sure?” He finished the question she had started. His tone made her regret the blabbering. “I doubt they took off their clothes on accident and then he stumbled into her repeatedly.” The sarcasm in his voice made her wince. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Don’t, it was a stupid question,” she said, shaking her head. Without another word, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“You hated her, Sabrina,” Nick said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, clinging to her as if his life depended on it.

“True,” she admitted. “But you loved, well, love her. I never wanted her to hurt you.” She pressed her lips to his temple and closed her eyes as she felt him shudder.

“I just don’t  get it. I thought … I thought we were in a good place,” he mumbled, his face buried in the crook of her neck. 

Sabrina’s heart broke for him. “I know, and I don’t understand, either.” She buried her hand in his hair, holding him close.

“She even knew I was coming over, why … why would she …" his voice broke and her temper flared.

“She knew? She knew you were coming over and she … God, she’s such a bitch,” Sabrina muttered under her breath. “Sorry,” she added for his sake. He didn’t need her throwing insults around at the moment. 

He didn’t say anything, he simply held her, needing the comfort her embrace provided like the air filling his lungs. She had warned him, time and time again. So had Tom and Caroline, but he had chosen to ignore those warnings and instead held onto Julia, their relationship, no questions asked. Hadn’t dared to doubt her because that would have meant the people warning him had a point. And Nick had been too stubborn to accept that possibility. It had nearly cost him the girl currently keeping him from drowning in his own thoughts, too. The thought sent a shiver down his spine and he subconsciously tightened his grip on her.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but it’s going to be okay,” she quietly promised.

A few moments of silence passed before Nick laughed weakly and lifted his head to look at her. At her questioning glance, he nudged the tip of her nose with his own, making her smile. “I said those exact same words to you when Kinkle broke up with you.”

“Did you?” She asked, surprised. When he nodded, her smile grew a little bigger. “You said a lot of things back then to make me feel better,” Sabrina recalled. “But what helped the most was this.” Her arms tightened for a second. “Just you being there, holding me. Showing me that I wasn’t alone. Let me show you the same, Nick.” A voice inside her told her to rage and scream about the woman who had broken his heart, but now was not the right time for that. Now was the time to hold him and not let go.

“Thank you, Spellman,” he mumbled, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

“Anything for you, Scratch. I hope you know that,” she replied.

They sat on the couch for hours, holding each other, Sabrina providing the warmth Nick so desperately craved at the moment. At some point they had turned on the TV and put on a sitcom to fill the silence as they didn’t speak, neither watching the show. The sun set outside and they ordered food, Sabrina insisting that Nick had to eat something, even if he didn’t feel like it. The second she ended the call and got back to the couch, he pulled her into his arms again, something inside him calming down again when he held her. 

The doorbell rang only a few minutes later and Sabrina raised an eyebrow. “That was fast,” she mumbled and disentangled herself from Nick’s arms. When she opened the door, surprise washed over her face. “Tom! What are you doing here?” She took in his clothes – not too dressed up, but definitely ready to take her out for dinner to a nice place and … “Shit, I completely forgot,” she confessed. “Come in?” she asked, biting her lower lip.

Tom entered the apartment and was taken aback when Sabrina grabbed his hand without another word and pulled him towards her room. “If you want to get me alone, all you have to do is ask, princess,” he said with a small smile, but it quickly left his face when he noticed the serious expression on her face after she closed the door behind them.

“I’m so sorry, Tom, really, I … I forgot about our date tonight,” she confessed.

“I can see that,” he replied, letting his eyes wander over her. She still wore the old Baxter High shirt and the sweatpants she had worn when she had been talking to Roz. “But it’s okay, we have plenty of time. Get changed and we’ll still be able to make our reservation.” It hadn’t been easy to get the table, but it was their six-months-anniversary, so it was totally worth the effort.

Sabrina sighed. “I can’t, I’m so sorry, Tom. But I can’t go out tonight, Nick needs me here.”

Tom frowned. He hadn’t even seen his friend with how quickly Sabrina pulled him to her room. “What happened?”

She took a deep breath. He’d hear about it sooner or later anyway. “Nick wanted to propose to Julia today.”

“He what?” His eyebrows nearly met his hairline. “Wait, what do you mean, he wanted to?”

“He walked in on her cheating on him instead. It’s over,” Sabrina said, looking in the direction of the living room. “That’s why I can’t leave tonight. I don’t want to leave him on his own, not after … that.”

Tom nodded, pulling her into a hug. “Of course,” he replied, kissing her forehead, trying to show her that it was okay. “Want me to stick around?”

She hesitated for a moment before answering. “I don’t know. Seeing a couple a few hours after catching his girlfriend stabbing him in the back … might be a little too soon.”

“Right, yeah. That was stupid.”

“No, it wasn’t,” she responded, shaking her head. “Nick’s your friend, too. It wasn’t stupid that you want to hang around after the shit day he had.” Sabrina took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry about tonight, Tom. I was really looking forward to the surprise you promised me, and then all of that happened and I even forgot to call you.” She bit her lower lip, a guilty expression on her face.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” he reassured her, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “You were preoccupied with other things. We’ll postpone our date, no harm done.” A small smile appeared on his face. 

“You’re the best,” Sabrina said, standing on her tiptoes as she pulled him into a long, slow kiss. “Soon, I promise.”

Tom grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. “We’re okay, Sabrina. Just take care of Scratch, everything else will sort itself out. I promise.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“I’ll get going then. Hug him for me?”

Sabrina nodded. “Of course.” She held his hand as she walked him to the front door. “Talk to you tomorrow?” 

“You better, or I’ll have to file a missing person report,” he joked, earning him a smile. He quickly pecked her lips. “Bye, princess.”

“Bye.” She leaned against the door for a moment, collecting her thoughts, before returning to the living room.

Nick looked at the tv screen, but didn’t seem to really be watching the sitcom that still ran. “Did I hear Tom?” he asked as Sabrina sat down on the couch again.

“Yes, he wanted to pick me up for a date.” She left out the anniversary part. Nothing to bother Nick with right now. 

He sighed. “You should have gone, Spellman.”

Sabrina shook her head. “No way. You don’t think I’d actually leave you alone like this,” she said, echoing his words after her accident. She had been physically hurt, but he was in pain emotionally and she wouldn’t let him deal with this alone. 

“But -”

“No buts. I’m staying right here, Nicholas Scratch,” she informed him in a tone that left no room for argument.

Nick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side again, kissing her temple in the process. “Thank you, Sabrina.” 

“No need to thank me. That’s what friends are for, right?” She kissed his cheek as she wrapped her arm around his middle and rested her head on his shoulder. 

Hours later, long after eating the Indian take-out they had ordered, they lay on the couch, Nick pressed against the back of the sofa and holding Sabrina close as they slept. She woke up for a few moments and thought about getting up, but ultimately decided against it. She pulled the throw blanket that was draped over the back of the couch over them and snuggled closer again, quickly falling back asleep in Nick’s arms.

********  
**

When Nick woke up the next morning, he blinked, momentarily confused about where he was. As he tried to move, he felt the back of the couch behind him and the small blonde before him boxing him in. The events of the day before came rushing back and he closed his eyes. Maybe if he fell asleep again,  it would all have  been a dream when he woke up again. Except he knew that’s not how that worked. 

He subconsciously pulled Sabrina closer, a small, sad smile lifting the corners of his mouth as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. Her reaction the day before, how she had dropped everything, put her life on hold – he had no idea how to repay her for that. When he had gotten home, he had been afraid of her rushing into a tirade about the woman who was now his ex-girlfriend and he had dreaded the prospect. Instead, she had simply held him, offering silent support he so desperately needed after his relationship had crumbled around him like a house of cards. 

Nick had no idea what to do. He had been so sure where his life was going to go next just yesterday when he had turned the key in the lock of Julia’s apartment door. A few minutes later, none of that had existed anymore as he dumped that same key in her mailbox on the way out of her apartment building, the images of what he had seen still fresh on his mind. 

However, now he wondered if he had maybe done that too quickly. He hadn’t given her a chance to say a single word, had only muttered that they were done and left. Should he have let her say something? Explain? 

“I can  hear the gears in your head turning, Nick,” Sabrina mumbled, guiding his gaze back down to her. She blinked sleepily at him, her eyes not yet completely focusing on him. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” he answered and kissed her forehead. “And there are no gears in my head, that’s all high-tech.”

She chuckled, still not fully awake as she buried deeper into his arms. “Try telling yourself that. I hear a lot of squeaking going on up here,” she tapped his temple, “so you’re not fooling me. What’s going on in there?”

“I’ve been thinking …"

“You’re always thinking, Scratch, that’s nothing new.”

“Did I act too soon, Sabrina? Should I have … I don’t know, waited? Not put her key in her mailbox when I left?” Nick asked, his insecurity slowly taking control.

His thought process woke Sabrina up quicker than any coffee could. “Wait, what?” Had she heard him correctly? She sat up, nearly falling off the couch at the sudden motion.

He sighed and sat up as well. “Should I have waited for her to say something? Explain how that happened?” A part of him, probably the rational one, told him that waiting would have been stupid. The other part, though, the one that loved Julia, couldn’t help but wonder.

Sabrina shook her head. “Nick, you caught her cheating on you. Not flirting with or even kissing someone else, you caught her straight up banging another guy right in front of you when she knew you were going to come over. There’s nothing she could have said that would have excused that. There’s nothing she could have said to explain it.” 

“But what if -” he started, but stopped himself when he realized that he had no idea what he even wanted to say. 

She took his hand, turned it around and laced her fingers through his. “Look, I know you’re trying to make sense of this. And I get it. I’d do the same, I’d want to understand what the hell happened.” Sabrina paused and looked at her best friend, the circles under his eyes, his messy hair. Nick was one of the best people she knew and he deserved so much better than this. Than to have to deal with this kind of pain and betrayal. “But there is no but. These things don’t happen on accident. She made the decision to cheat. Her reasons really don’t matter. She made the decision to hurt you in the cruelest way possible because even if you hadn’t walked in on them, the truth would have come out sooner or later. It was her decision that she didn’t care that she was hurting you when she went behind your back like that.”

Nick looked at her, the pain clear in his eyes. “But what if she was it? My chance at something long-term?”

Sabrina shook her head again. “Stop right there. Nick, you’re 22 years old. There will be someone else. Someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved.” She took a deep breath. “What I’m going to ask you now will probably hurt, but I have to ask. Did she ever say it? That she loves you? I know you said it, I heard you say it, but … I don’t think I ever heard her say those words back to you.”

Nick was quiet for a long time, the frown on his face deepening the longer he thought. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke. “She didn’t.” He sounded defeated. “I can’t remember her ever saying it.” He closed his eyes. “I almost asked a woman to marry me who didn’t love me. How could I not see that?”

She squeezed his hand, a gentle, reassuring gesture that made him look at their joined hands. Julia would have pulled her hand back a long time ago. Sabrina held onto it like it was the most natural thing in the world. The difference between the two women couldn’t be bigger if they tried. And hadn’t that been what had initially drawn him to Julia, the fact that she was nothing like Sabrina, in looks as well as in character?

“Maybe you didn’t want to see it,” Sabrina carefully suggested. “Maybe you were so focused on making it work that you didn’t want to see it.” It had hurt for so long to see him doing everything in his power to hold this woman who didn’t love him, not really at least. She had felt powerless when her warnings fell on deaf ears and caused a rift between them when all she had wanted to do was spare him the pain he was now in. Even if she had gone about it the wrong way.

His phone on the coffee table suddenly started to vibrate, making both of them jump. Julia’s name showed up on the display and Nick moved to grab the phone, but Sabrina was quicker. “Let me, please?” When he nodded, she took the phone and answered it on speaker. “Hello, Julia.”

_ “I should have guessed.” _

“That I won’t let you do even more damage? Yes, you should have.” 

_ “That he’d run to you straight away.” _

“Well, considering that we’re living in the same apartment, me being the first person he runs into isn’t all that surprising, you know?”

_ “I bet you’re just loving this. Now you can really sink your claws into him again.” _

Sabrina saw Nick’s features darken at the accusation and he held her hand tighter. 

“The only one using her claws right now is you. What do you want?” 

_ “To talk to my boyfriend.” _

“Wrong number, then,” Nick said, frowning.

_ “Nick!”  _ Julia had the decency to sound surprised. She quickly recovered, though. _ “Can we talk in private? I found your key this morning.” _

He looked at Sabrina for a moment before answering. “I don’t think there’s anything left to say. We’re done.”

_ “If you would just let me explain-”  _

“There’s really nothing to explain. I know what you did, what I saw. It’s pretty self-explanatory.” 

_ “But-” _

“Listen, Gina, I think Nick made himself clear. You had your chance and you blew it,” Sabrina stated, mentally adding ‘probably literally’.

_ “Stay out of this, Sabrina, and let the grown-ups talk.” _

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Nick said, his tone leaving no room for argument. Sabrina had to swallow the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat. This was the first time she had heard him defend her like this in front of Julia, even if it just was over the phone. 

_ “I see she has already gotten into your head.” _

“Stop it, this has nothing to do with Sabrina. You’re the only one who let another person get into them.” He saw his best friend flinch next to him at his choice of words, but Nick was beyond caring.

_ “Jealousy is not a good look on you.” _

“I’m just stating facts. And you can do what- and whoever you want now.” He really needed this call to be over.

She sighed on the other end.  _ “If that’s how you want to play it, fine. But I still have some things at your place and you have stuff here. When are you going to pick that up and bring me my things?” _

Sabrina raised her eyebrow at that and blinked. Had Julia honestly just … “That’s not going to happen. The least you can do is bring Nick his things and pick up your own after what you’re done. He’s not your delivery boy.”

_ “I already told you-” _

“She’s right. If you want your things, you pick them up.” He considered what he had at her place – it was just some clothes, easily replaced if she refused. 

_ “Can you stop hiding behind Sabrina and make your own choices?” _

“This is my own choice, Julia. Pick up your stuff and bring mine over or it’s going to goodwill. Your choice.”

She paused for a moment, no doubt trying to figure out what she had at his place. 

_ “Fine. I’ll stop by in a few days,”  _ she snapped before hanging up.

Nick stared at his phone until the screen went black and leaned into Sabrina when she wrapped her arm around him the best she could. He closed his eyes when she kissed his cheek.

“You did good, not giving in. I’m proud of you,” she said quietly. 

He felt the slightest bit lighter at her words, pulling her into a hug again. “Thank you,” was all he mumbled into her hair, holding onto her again like she was his lifeline. And if Nick was completely honest with himself, she was just that in a way.

**********

_You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing_   
_You say I am strong when I think I am weak_   
_And You say I am held when I am falling short_   
_And when I don't belong, oh, you say I am yours_

_ (Laura Daigle – You Say) _

A few days turned into two weeks until Julia showed up at the apartment. Sabrina had offered to take care of the whole thing, but Nick insisted that he needed to do this himself. Still, she hovered in the background, ready to jump in at a moment’s notice. 

“Are you sure you want to do this? We worked pretty well,” Julia said as she handed Nick a box with his things.

“Oh, I’m sure. And since you took your time with this,” he nodded towards the box, “I had time to think. Working well shouldn’t be enough.” Nick put the box on the dining room table and caught Sabrina’s eye for a moment, his resolve growing stronger when she gave him the smallest nod of encouragement. He picked up the box with Julia’s things, a lot bigger than his had been. “Your things.”

She took the box and put it down on the floor before taking a step closer. “Come on, Nick. We had a lot of fun. Don’t throw that away because I made a tiny mistake.” Julia tried putting her hand on his arm, but he took a step back. She pursed her lips at that, her features growing cold when she saw that Sabrina had gotten up.

The blonde had watched the exchange, saw Nick tense. She had enough. “I think it’s time for you to leave,” she said, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she put herself between Nick and Julia.

“Don’t you have your own relationship to fall asleep to?” Julia asked, glaring at Sabrina. “I’m trying to make my ex-boyfriend see reason here.”

“And you might as well stop talking while you’re ahead. What you did to him wasn’t just a tiny mistake,” Sabrina threw at her, not backing down.

“Spellman …" Nick tried quietly, but his attempt to keep the relative peace remained unheard.

“Oh please. It just happened, okay? The mood was right, so we had some fun,” the brunette replied, shrugging.

“Stop romanticizing cheating for God’s sake,” she burst out. “It doesn’t matter if the mood was right or if you were bored or whatever excuse you can come up with. Nobody deserves to be betrayed like that.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “Stop making Nick sound like the victim here. If he’d paid more attention to me and not been attached to you at the hip, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

Nick flinched internally at her words. Was she right? Had he not paid enough attention to his girlfriend? Was he partly to blame for them falling apart? For her looking for affection elsewhere?

“Nick did nothing wrong,” Sabrina hissed. “Don’t you dare blame your inability to be faithful on him.”

“Don’t make him sound like a saint. He’s not, believe me. Do you have any idea how many times I had to step back because of you? Because you needed something or the other?” The intensity of Julia’s glare grew.

“That’s called loyalty, but you wouldn’t understand. You never deserved Nick. He was always too good for you. He is the most loyal, loving, kindhearted and intelligent person I know. He would have done anything for you, laid the world at your feet. He loved you, he ignored every warning, he always defended you, no matter what. And you thanked him by cheating on him when you even knew he was coming to your place. What was it, a sick game? See if you’d get caught? Was that part of the thrill? You used him because you saw the opportunity. You saw that he was vulnerable and craved someone who loved him. So you did everything in your power to wrap him around your finger. You manipulated him because you saw an opening and milked it for all it was worth.” 

Nick looked at Sabrina, gesturing wildly as she spoke. After her little tirade, all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and never let her go again. Her words had warmed him, helped to mend his admittedly broken heart at least a little bit. Did she really see him like that?  


“Jesus, you’re in love with him,” Julia muttered. “Well, you can have him.” 

He flinched at the last part and Sabrina looked ready to strike. So Nick did the only thing he could think of and put a hopefully calming hand on the small of her back. He could almost feel her vibrate with angry energy and he was almost sure that if Julia said one more word, Sabrina might actually hit her. Nick grabbed her shirt so he’d be able to hold her back if it came to it and to send a silent signal to his best friend. It seemed to work since she took a deep breath instead.

“You wouldn’t recognize love if it bit you in the ass.” Sabrina wanted to rip Julia to pieces for discarding Nick like that, after trying to lure him back just a couple of minutes earlier. Those last five words confirmed everything she had ever thought of the other woman. “But how would you be able to? Throwing him away like you did just now is proof that don’t have a heart.”

“At least I’m not making everything unnecessarily dramatic. You should really grow up, Sabrina. Join us adults in the real world.”

Nick’s hold on Sabrina’s shirt tightened when he felt her move. She huffed and bent down, so he quickly let go of her – it wouldn’t do any good if Julia realized that he had been holding the petite blonde back. Sabrina picked up the box and shoved it at Julia, catching her by surprise.

“I’ve wanted to say this for a very long time: you’ve overstayed your welcome, so get out of our apartment and don’t come back. You’re not welcome here anymore.” She reached past Julia and opened the door. “Now leave before I make you.”

Julia sent a withering look her way before looking at Nick one last time. “You’ll realize what you’re missing, but then it’ll be too late.”

He put his hand on Sabrina’s shoulder. “I doubt it, I have all I need right here. And you helped me see it, so at least thanks for that, I guess.”

Julia rolled her eyes and left without another word, Sabrina slamming the door behind her. Nick turned her around by her shoulder and pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair when she wrapped her arms around him as well. 

After a while, she pulled back enough so she could look at him and narrowed her eyes. “Why did you hold me back? You had a hold on me like I do on Salem when I have to keep him still at the vet.”

Nick chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Because I wanted to avoid bloodshed. I was pretty sure you were going to hit her.” 

“Any blood spilled wouldn’t have been mine,” she grumbled.

“I know. And I didn’t want her to sue you over that,” he answered with a small smile when she rolled her eyes. He grew serious again a moment later. “Spellman, all those things you said about me … I don’t know what to say.”

She shook her head. “You don’t have to say anything. I meant every single word. She never deserved you, Nick. You were always too good for her, really out of her league. And I told you, one day there’ll be a girl who will you love you the way you deserve to be loved. You just need to be patient.” Sabrina stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. They stood there for a moment longer, wrapped around each other in a tight hug, before she finally pulled away. “Now that that chapter is over … should we order some pizza to celebrate?”

“It’s Thursday, our night. I’ll grab the menu.” Nick walked away with a small smile on his face. He was slowly starting to heal and Sabrina was a big part of that. As long as she was by his side, he would be okay in the end.


	16. We're in our twenties, talking thirties shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So ... last chapter was a trip to angst-town, at least for the most part. This one hopefully makes up for that! 
> 
> Also, I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read this and obviously for the kudos and comments, those give me life!

_I love it when you talk that nerdy shit_   
_We're in our twenties talking thirties shit_   
_We're making money but we're_ _savin_ _' it_   
_'Cause_ _talking shit is cheap and we talk a lot of it_

_(FINNEAS – Let's Fall i_ _n_ _Love f_ _or_ _t_ _he_ _Night)_

Nick took a deep breath as he looked at the shop before him, his left hand in the pocket of his jeans, his right hand tightly holding Sabrina’s. 

“Ready?” She asked, looking at him. He looked stressed out and she couldn’t blame him. Returning the engagement ring he had bought had a finality to it. Three weeks had passed since Julia had picked up her things and Nick had brought up that he wanted to return the ring before they went back to Greendale for Christmas when they had hung out with Tom and Caroline one night. Tom had been pragmatic about it and told him to keep it since there surely would be a different woman one day. That had earned him dirty looks from Sabrina and Caroline, both stating that there was nothing a woman would hate more than to get the ex-girlfriend's engagement ring. When Sabrina had grown suspicious and asked about any recycled gifts she might have gotten, he quickly denied that being the case, though. 

After a moment, he nodded. “I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.” 

“That’s the spirit, Frodo.” When she took a step towards the door, he held her back. 

“Frodo?” Nick asked. 

She grinned at him. “Yup. We’re here to return a ring that brought a lot of pain, after all.” 

He couldn’t help but laugh and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And you call me a nerd.” When he looked at the door again, he felt a bit lighter. “Okay. Let’s do this, Sam.” 

Sabrina squeezed his hand encouragingly and didn’t let go as they entered the store. Nick walked straight up to the counter where a plump middle-aged woman smiled at them. 

“Can I help you?” she asked. 

Nick pulled out the small box from his pocket and placed it on the counter. “I hope so. I want to return this.” 

The woman – Louise, as her nametag stated – picked up the box and opened it, nodding as she saw the store’s logo emblazed on the inside of the lid before looking at Sabrina. “Didn’t your young man here pick out the right one?” 

Sabrina’s eyes widened. “Oh! No, uhm … we’re not … it wasn’t for me,” she stumbled over her own words as she felt her cheeks heat up. Why would the clerk think that they were … that? 

“Yeah, it wasn’t meant for her, we’re … not like that,” Nick added quickly. 

Louise looked surprised. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I just assumed …" she lowered her gaze to their linked hands. 

When Sabrina realized what she was looking at, she sighed, but refused to let go of his hand. “I’m just here for moral support,” she explained. 

“So, about the ring?” Nick asked, hoping to change the subject. 

“Oh, of course. Do you still have the receipt?” Louise asked, snapping the box shut. 

“Right, the receipt,” he mumbled, fishing his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. He hadn’t had a chance yet to get rid of it before proposing, which turned out to be a good thing now. 

While Nick fumbled to get the receipt out, the clerk eyed the people in front of her. The way the young woman looked at the man whose hand she held, the way he refused to let go even if it would make getting the receipt more efficient. She could have sworn there was something between them, with how they drifted towards each other. 

“There it is,” Nick said and put the receipt on the counter. 

“Thank you, just a moment.” Louise picked up the piece of paper and checked – everything seemed to be in order. “Alright. Any damages I should know about?” 

He shook his head. “The ring never left the box.” His shoulders sagged ever so slightly at the implications and Nick looked at Sabrina when she squeezed his hand again, intertwining her fingers with his. 

“I see,” the clerk said, watching the silent interaction. She knew better than to pry – it was obvious that something had gone very wrong. Why else would he want to return the engagement ring? “Now I’ll just need to check with my manager quickly, but this shouldn’t be a problem.” 

About ten minutes later, they walked out of the jewelry store – without the ring and Nick with his money back. It was a small consolation, but better than nothing. The walk back to his car was silent, but when they reached it, he pulled her into a hug, finally letting go of her hand for more than a second so he could properly wrap his arms around her. Not for the first time, he noticed just how perfectly Sabrina fit against him. 

“Thank you for doing this with me,” he said. 

Sabrina shook her head and wrapped her arms around him as well. “No need to thank me. That’s what friends are for, right? To lean on when things get tough?” 

“I guess. But still, you didn’t need to come in there with me.” 

She smiled. “Would have spared us an awkward moment if I had waited outside,” she quipped. 

Nick laughed. “That was uncomfortable.” 

“But for the record? That ring was beautiful. You picked well.” Sabrina paused for a moment. “Well, the jewelry. Not the woman that was supposed to wear it.” 

He huffed a laugh. She had started to do that in the weeks since Julia picked up her things, insert little digs like that into conversations involving his ex-girlfriend to stop his mind from spiraling in a dark direction again. “So my taste is 50 percent good. That’s a good start at least,” Nick answered, pinching her side. 

Sabrina disentangled herself from him. “Now let’s get to campus. We have classes to get to.” 

“Right, the relentless call of academia,” he agreed and opened the passenger door for her. “Get in the car and let’s go, Spellman.” 

**********

“I can’t believe you’re never done this before. Who am I even dating?” Tom asked, shock clear on his face at Sabrina’s confession. 

She rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like it’s the end of the world.” 

“I thought you were worldly. Boy, was I wrong.” He shook his head in disappointment. 

Sabrina laughed. “And I get that card taken away now? Because I’ve never played laser tag before?” 

She moved her shoulders a bit, the vest they had her wear not fitting all too well. They had gotten back from Christmas break two weeks ago and with exams fast approaching, this had seemed like a good idea to blow off some steam when Caroline had suggested it. Now, Sabrina wasn’t so sure. 

Christmas break had gone well enough, with Tom tagging along to Greendale and meeting her friends there for the first time in person. Roz, Theo and Harvey had liked him well enough and Prudence … well, she had been civil enough, but she hadn’t been able to help herself, either. _“It’s like you’re dating a slightly more mature, but also nerdier version of Kinkle,”_ she had said, nodding in Tom’s direction. Sabrina had told her cousin’s girlfriend to stay out of it, but the comment had bugged the youngest Spellman a lot more than it should. Ultimately, Sabrina had been glad when it was time to return to New Orleans, even if it was just to escape Prudence’s little smirk every time Tom had pulled Harvey into a conversation about comic books or something similar. 

“Hang on, Spellman,” Nick said, noticing her discomfort. 

She stood there and let him adjust the vest in a way that actually made it fit better. “Thanks, Nick.” Then she turned her attention back to Tom. “See? Instead of mocking me, you could have helped me, you know.” 

“Now wait -” Tom started, but Caroline whistled through her fingers, making them all look at her. 

“Great, I have your attention!” She smiled innocently while fixing her high ponytail. “Now, we need teams. Since we’re an uneven number, I suggest the team with our rookie here,” she nodded at Sabrina, earning a dirty look, “gets an extra person. Anyone opposed?” Caroline waited a moment, but when nobody said anything, she continued. “Good! Sabrina, you’re with me,” she called, making herself team captain without even giving the guys a choice. 

“Really, Caroline? You’re going down,” Tom answered. “Elliot? Let’s show them how it’s done.” 

“Nick, I guess that makes us the winning trio,” Caroline said, mock-glaring at her boyfriend as he switched sides. 

“Wait, no. You can have Elliot, I changed my mind!” 

“Hey!” 

“Sorry, man, but Sabrina and Nick on the same team – no way. It’s like they share a massive, nerdy brain sometimes, that’s not going to end well for us.” Tom shook his head. 

“That still hurt. Right here, dude,” Elliot said, pointing at his heart. 

“You should have thought about that sooner,” Sabrina said, grinning at Tom. She had no idea if she was any good at this, but at least she could be a distraction if nothing else. 

“Princess …" 

She shook her head. “Don’t ‘princess’ me. This is war now. And Nick stays right here on our team.” 

Tom sighed. “Fine. If that’s how you want to play this.” 

“It very much is,” she confirmed. 

“Okay, enough with the trash talk,” Caroline jumped in. “Sabrina, make sure to hold the weapon this way so you don’t shoot yourself,” she explained, earning another dirty look. 

“Ha ha. Funny. Really. Suddenly Tom’s team doesn’t look so bad, after all.” 

“Remember that he wanted Nick, though, not you,” the redheaded girl answered. 

“Right, there was that.” 

“Since we’re only five people, we play for high score, not last man standing. So if you’re hit, you get a time out for about ten seconds until your weapon works again. You know when you’re back in the game when your vest lights up again. There are a lot of cover options in there, use them wisely. And if you have the opportunity to shoot, do it. Don’t hesitate. And only aim for the vest, any other hits don’t count.” Caroline instructed. 

“Got it. Don’t get shot and shoot first, ask questions later,” Sabrina said. 

“And keep moving, don’t camp. That makes you an easy target.” 

“Okay, keep moving, use covers and take every possible shot. I think I’m all set.” The blonde looked over her shoulder at the other team. “Are you guys ready? I’m itching to try this.” 

“All good, we were just waiting for you,” Tom answered. 

They entered the arena and the second the lights changed, Nick snorted. “Spellman, you’re like a beacon.” At her confused look, he pointed at her hair. 

“Shit, I forgot they had black light in here,” Caroline groaned. “You should have worn a hat, Sabrina.” 

“How was I supposed to know that?” She asked. “Besides, I don’t even own a hat.” 

“A wig, then. And Jesus Christ, stop laughing, Tom.” 

He tried but failed, when he got out: “Sorry, but Sabrina just has natural crosshairs drawn on her.” 

“One more reason to use those covers, Spellman,” Nick reminded her, fighting his own smile at this turn of events. 

“Alright, let’s go, guys, we have a match to win!” Caroline said and vanished into the labyrinth made of pillars and walls of different heights. Sabrina quickly followed, ducking into the darkness as best as she could. 

When a sound announced the start of the round, their vests lit up and chaos ensued. Sabrina remembered to stay on the move and ducked from cover to cover, trying to be as quiet as possible as not to give her position away. Soon enough, she heard Tom curse and Caroline laugh, grinning herself. 

As she rounded a corner, she ran into Elliot who promptly shot her. “Sorry, Sabrina,” he said before vanishing again in the dark. The round went on like that, the competitive streaks of Caroline and Tom quickly turning the game into full-on warfare. 

Sabrina ran down a ramp, trying to get to cover, when she stumbled in the dark and nearly fell – if Nick hadn’t been there to catch her. “You okay, Spellman?” he asked, searching her face. 

“I’m fine, thanks,” she replied, realizing just how close they were as she looked up at him with big eyes, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She was about to free herself from his arms when first her vest, then Nick’s signaled that they had been shot. 

“Ha! Got you!” Tom called from the distance. 

“Damn it,” Sabrina swore, pushing away from Nick. “Cover, now. I don’t want to explain to Caroline why we lost.” 

A few hours later, they sat in a bar, Caroline, Sabrina and Nick happily devouring the fries Tom and Elliot had paid for, the spoils of war, as Caroline had called it. The best-of-three had turned into best-of-five and then best-of-seven with the trio winning the deciding match. After that they had teamed up and played against another group of people they hadn’t known, but after two rounds, Caroline and Tom had butted heads over strategy and the other three had decided to call it a day. 

“You know, I almost didn’t shoot you during that first game when you and Nick stood at the bottom of that ramp out in the open,” Tom said, taking a sip from his beer. 

Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “You what?” 

“I stumbled because I didn’t see the ramp ending,” Sabrina defended herself. “Nick caught me before I fell on my ass.” She shrugged. “Besides, we won in the end, so what does that first round matter?” 

The redheaded girl sighed. “You’re right. And you did good for a rookie. We’ll turn you into a decent laser tag player soon enough.” 

Sabrina laughed. “If I can ever move again. My muscles are already starting to feel sore,” she complained, stretching. 

“We should work out more,” Tom suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. 

She snorted and threw her coaster at him. “You shot me today, I don’t think so.” 

Nick shook his head at the exchange, smiling. “What about you, Elliot, any complaints?” 

The guy in question wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. “Only that I was a bit scared of this one today, but other than that, I’m good.” He kissed Caroline before she could respond. 

Sabrina laughed. “He has a point, General Caroline was scary,” she admitted. 

Tom pinched her side. “You could have always joined my team.” 

“You wanted Nick at first, not me. And I wasn’t about to switch teams in the middle of warfare,” she explained. 

“Pity, you would have made a great double agent,” he said, rubbing her shoulder. 

“I was lit up like a Christmas tree in there. I would have been the worst double agent possible,” the blonde argued, rolling her eyes. 

“But you are small and fast, that worked to your advantage,” Nick said. “When you didn’t fall down ramps.” 

“That was one time!” 

When Sabrina woke up the next morning to a knock on her bedroom door, it was worse than expected. Everything hurt: her calves, her thighs, her stomach – even her arms. She had always thought that she was more or less in shape, but their trip to the laser tag arena had proven her wrong. 

“Let me die in peace!” she grumbled. 

Nick laughed and poked his head in. “I made breakfast, that might help.” 

“Save something for when I can move again in two to three business days,” Sabrina complained, rolling to her side. 

Nick came in and sat down on the edge of her bed. “That bad, hm?” 

“My entire body is one big sore muscle,” she said. 

“You’ll feel better once you start moving,” he said, offering her his hand. “Come on, I made pancakes.” 

Sabrina perked up at that. “Aunt Hilda’s recipe?” 

He chuckled. “Obviously. I feel like she’d somehow know if I had used a different one and come down here to scold me.” He stood up and pulled his groaning friend into a sitting position. 

“Ow,” she mumbled, her hand pressed to her stomach. 

“Don’t make me carry you to the dining room table,” Nick warned her. 

“Pff, I’d like to see you try,” Sabrina said, rolling her eyes. 

He raised an eyebrow at that. “Are you sure about that?” When she crossed her arms in front of her chest, Nick made his decision. He flung back her blanket and picked her up, laughing when she squealed in surprise and put her arms around his neck on reflex. 

“Alright, alright! Put me down!” She demanded, kicking her legs. 

He was still laughing when he placed her on the floor. “Now, are you ready for breakfast?” 

“These pancakes better be good, Scratch.” 

**********

After a long, almost bittersweet hug, Tom walked out of the apartment and Sabrina closed the door behind him, leaning against it with a sigh, her eyes closed. She heard rustling and went to the living room where Nick was studying, his glasses dangerously low on the tip of his nose and his hair messed up, looking like he had run his hands through it in frustration not just once. She settled next to him on the couch, not saying anything but looking over his shoulder to see what he was working on as he highlighted something in his notes. The end of the winter semester was approaching way too fast for his liking, especially considering that after the summer, they’d have their degrees and were supposed to go out into the real world. He hadn’t told Sabrina yet, but he planned to buy a house in Greendale when he moved back – plans to continue his academic career back home already loosely in motion. But those were problems for future-Nick. For now, he needed to focus on his upcoming exams. 

Nick expected some teasing comment about the chaos on the coffee table, but when Sabrina remained silent, he looked at her, frowning when he noted the odd expression on her face. She didn’t look exactly sad, but also not happy, either. “Are you okay, Spellman?” He capped the highlighter and took off his glasses, placing them on his notes. He was long overdue for a break anyway if the dry feeling of his eyes was any indication. 

“I … yeah, I think so,” she said, leaning back into the couch cushions. 

“You think so?” He wasn’t convinced. “Everything alright with Tom?” Nick thought that he had seen them hug when the other guy left, so that couldn’t be it. 

Sabrina sighed. “Yeah, everything’s okay. But … Tom and I, well, we broke up.” 

“You what?” He raised his eyebrows, the surprise clear on his face. “But … you seemed okay when he got here, why would guys break up.” Nick leaned back as well, studying her, looking for a sign of distress. 

“That’s kind of the reason why we broke up,” she started, smiling a little when confusion took over his features. “Neither of us was really upset or anything. We were just … okay. Tom pointed out that we were good at kissing and making out with each other, but we weren’t in love, or at least not anymore. I didn’t even notice until he pointed out that we hadn’t had sex in almost two months and neither of us missed it. It was nice and comfortable and safe while it lasted, but we’re just better of as friends.” 

Nick chuckled at the last part. “Nice and comfortable and safe are probably the last words a guy wants to hear. You sound like you’re describing a couch.” However, he couldn’t help but feel bad for both of them about what she had said before. Their relationship had been solid, but apparently, there had been something missing and they both hadn’t even realized it until it was glaringly obvious. 

Sabrina shook her head, unable to keep the smile off her face. “Then what _does_ a guy want to hear?” 

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. “Well, I guess the safe thing is okay, depending on the context. I wouldn’t want a girl to _not_ feel safe when she’s with me. But nice and comfortable? No. That feeling of never being able to get enough of each other, of understanding each other without words, complete trust, passion … that’s what you should be looking for, Spellman.” 

She leaned into his embrace, her head resting on his shoulder. “That sounds good,” she admitted. 

Nick trailed his hand up and down her arm. “You sure you’re okay? I mean, even if it didn’t end in heartbreak, it’s still a break-up. You’re allowed to feel sad.” 

Sabrina nodded. “I’m okay. I mean, yes, I guess I am little sad, but I don’t feel like crying or anything. It doesn’t feel like it’s the end of the world like it did with Harvey. Which is probably also a sign that Tom and I did the right thing.” Despite her words, she nestled a bit deeper into his side, enjoying the warmth radiating off of him. 

“You’ll find the right guy, Spellman. And he’ll sweep you off your feet and make you ridiculously happy,” he promised, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Remember that psychic? You even already know the guy you’re going to spend the rest of your life with. Well, according to her.” 

She chuckled at the memory. “I guess she wasn’t talking about Tom,” Sabrina said. “Maybe she did mean you and we’ll still meet up once or twice a week when we’re eighty and we’ll rant about how the kids these days have no respect for their elders. That’s going to be fun.” 

He laughed at the image. “I think you had it right back then, probably not how she meant it. It sounds fun, though. But …" he paused. 

“But, what?” Sabrina asked. 

“If neither of us is married by a certain age, we could always do that. You know, save on taxes, have a next of kin … could come in handy,” Nick suggested with a grin. 

“You make it sound so romantic,” she deadpanned. When he shrugged, her eyes widened. “Wait, are you actually serious?” 

“Why not? Let’s say neither of us has found someone by the time we’re ... what, 35? 40? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to grow old alone.” 

Sabrina shook her head as she looked at him. On a whim, she moved to straddle his lap, trapping him on the couch so he couldn’t escape when she poked him in the chest with her index finger. “Let me get this straight. I tell you that my boyfriend and I broke up and you suggest we get married in 15 to 20 years if we haven’t found anyone else by then? After you almost asked another girl to marry you a couple of months ago?” 

His hands went to her hips on their own accord to steady her. While surprised to suddenly have her in his lap, he couldn’t find it in himself to mind. “I guess so. But would it really be so bad, to spend the rest of our lives together?” Considering that he needed her in his life as much as he needed to breathe, there were definitely worse prospects. 

“Probably not,” she admitted. She could think of a lot of things that would be worse than spending the rest of her life with her best friend by her side. Sabrina bit her bottom lip. “Let’s say 40.” 

Nick raised his eyebrows. “Really?” When she nodded, he grinned. “How about 35?” 

She huffed. “I’m sorry, has this become a negotiation?” Sabrina poked him in the chest again and he took a hand off of her hips to grab her hand so she couldn’t do it again, grinning when she glared at him until he let her finger go again. 

He pinched her side instead, making her squirm in his lap. “I’m just saying. If we decide that we don’t want to let our genes go to waste, we have a better chance at some time past 35 than past 40.” 

She laughed. “Hold on. You think we’d have sex again if we got married because we literally didn’t find anyone else?” 

“Why not?” Nick asked innocently enough, but then his smirk turned devilish. “Besides, I know for a fact that you enjoyed yourself that one time we did it.” He laughed when she swatted at his shoulder. 

“Don’t be so proud of yourself. It was my first time, I was easy to impress,” Sabrina countered, laughing when Nick’s chin dropped. “So, just for the record: we get married at 35 for tax purposes if we don’t find anyone else and in case we want to procreate after all.” 

He nodded. “Sounds good to me.” 

“You do realize that we’d both be put into straitjackets if anyone heard us right now?” 

Nick shrugged. “Could be worse. So, deal?” 

She looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Deal.” Sabrina laughed again, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I actually just agreed to this.” 

“It got your mind off things, though, didn’t it?” he asked, smiling as the realization of what he had been doing slowly dawned on her. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist, hugging her close to him. Despite her sitting in his lap, her legs on either side of his, it still felt completely innocent. “Thank you,” the blonde whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. Leave it to Nick to distract her in a way that was so out of the box that everything else just vanished. 

**********

_Nick quietly opened the door to Sabrina’s room and stuck his head in. “Spellman? You awake?” he asked, his gaze drifting to the radio clock on her nightstand. It was a few minutes after midnight, but the room was pitch black. They had given up on studying for their finals roughly half an hour earlier when concentration eluded them._

_“More or less,” came her voice from the bed. “What’s up?”_

_“The two us,” he said, smiling a little when she huffed somewhere buried under her blankets. He quickly slipped into her room and closed the door behind him before walking over to her and sitting on the edge of her bed. He noted with a smile how she had already moved over a little, making room for him. “I can’t sleep.”_

_“Obviously,” Sabrina grumbled, lifting up the blanket. “Come here.”_

_He got a look at her and couldn’t help but smile. Her hair was slightly disheveled and she looked sleepy – and was entirely too beautiful, even in that state. Nick slipped under the covers and pulled her into his arms, relaxing when she melted against him like this was exactly where she was supposed to be._

_“What’s keeping you up?” she asked, her hand finding his as she idly started to play with his fingers._

_“Finals,” he answered. “I’m kind of scared, Spellman.”_

_Sabrina furrowed her brow as she looked at him. “Why? Nick, we’ve been studying like lunatics for weeks now. It’s going to be okay.”_

_“But what if it’s not? What if I mess up?” The arm that was wrapped around her petite frame tightened involuntarily._

_“You’re not going to mess up,” she said, pressing her lips against the underside of his jaw, feeling the slightest bit of stubble._

_“But what if I do? I know that we’ve been studying a lot, but what if it’s not enough? What if I sit there and realize that I studied all the wrong things? I can’t fail, I just can’t. Getting the best possible high school diploma is_ _all I have_ _, Sabrina.” He whispered the last part, staring at the ceiling. Nick realized that he was spiraling, but he didn’t know how to stop his thought process from devolving further._

_Sabrina pushed at his shoulder and climbed on top of him when he didn’t fight her. She put her hands on both sides of his face and forced him to look at her. “Listen to me very carefully, Nicholas Scratch. You are_ not _going to fail. You are_ not _going to mess up finals. We’ve studied more than enough already and we still have a week to go. It’s going to be okay. And that diploma is_ not _all you have.” She leaned down and kissed him, shivering when his hands found her waist. A tiny voice in her head told her she’d never get enough of feeling his hands on her, but she pushed the thought away. This was just temporary._

_“I won’t have a family to take a ton of pictures at graduation when I get that diploma, if I even do,” he said after they broke apart. It had hit home hard when Baxter High had informed seniors that they needed to mark the number of seats for their families for graduation and he had simply blotted out the space next to his name. He didn’t want his uncle there and there was nobody else left._

_“Nick …" she started, the realization dawning on her. It had hit her as well when she put in the number 3, melancholia hitting her for a moment when she thought about her parents not seeing her graduate. Another thing she wasn’t able to share with them. But it was infinitely harder for Nick with his parents gone and his uncle being who he was. Sabrina brushed a wayward curl back from his forehead and held his gaze as she spoke. “You will have a family there. Maybe not by blood, but … Hilda, Zelda and Ambrose have all but adopted you. We’re your family, Nick. And you’re not as smart as I thought you were_ _if_ _you think even for a second that Hilda won’t take a ridiculous_ _amount_ _of photos of both of us that day.”_

_His grasp on her waist tightened as he pulled her down, needing to feel more of her when he captured her lips with his. His kiss wasn’t as soft as hers had been, it was deep and desperate and made her groan in the back of her throat. Nick was sure that she had no idea just how much her words really meant to him. Ever since moving to Greendale, the Spellman family had been warmer and more welcoming than his only living relative could even dream of being, taking him in with open arms. He had felt more love and affection in their house than in the one that was supposed to be his home, his sense of belonging more tied to their family than what was left of his own._

_And it was thanks to the girl currently pressed up against him – the girl he couldn’t tell how he really felt about her. The girl that was subconsciously grinding against him in a way that made it increasingly hard to hide the physical effect she had on him._

_He flipped them over, making her gasp when his lips landed on her neck. Nick was tempted to break her rule of not leaving hickeys, but she’d skin him alive if he did that and it would also bring up questions with her family neither of them wanted to answer._

_“Crisis averted?” she asked, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Sabrina had a hard time wrapping her head around how they had gotten here, from Nick freaking out to them heavily making out, but his hands and lips felt way too good for her to question it. He pulled away long enough to pull his shirt over his head before almost attacking her neck again, her eyes closing._

_“Crisis averted,” he mumbled against her skin, one of his hands sneaking under her top. “This needs to go,” he added and when he felt her nod, he helped her peel the flimsy thing off, smiling when she arched into his touch as his hand landed on her bare skin. This wasn’t what Nick had come over here for, but he wasn’t going to complain. The turn the night had taken probably wouldn’t help him when they inevitably hit the point where this would end, but he would enjoy it as long as he could._

Sabrina rubbed a hand over her eyes when she woke up, wondering why the hell she had dreamed about that night. She remembered it all too well – that night had played a huge part in her decision to approach Nick after prom, had been the reason why she had been so sure that she could trust him with that moment. Even if they hadn’t gone all the way and some of their clothes had stayed on, it had been the first time he had made her see stars. She remembered how careful he had been, checked in with her all time to make sure she felt comfortable with his touch to a point where she had kissed him just to shut him up. 

She felt movement in the bed beside her and then noted the weight of Nick’s arm around her waist. They had fallen asleep talking about their plans once the summer semester was done and they had their degrees. And while they hadn’t made out, she had to admit the situation was somewhat similar. Another change to their lives was rapidly approaching and they were facing it together. That was probably it. They would move back to Greendale and into the Spellman home after the summer, Nick intending to buy a house with his inheritance, putting down his own roots, while Sabrina would stay at the mortuary for the time being. 

Sabrina studied his sleeping form in the moonlight and smiled. He looked younger, his features relaxed. Whatever he was dreaming about, it was obviously good. She brushed a curl back from his forehead and he stirred, the arm around her waist tightening. 

“Spellman?” he asked, his voice raspy with sleep. 

“Sorry, go back to sleep,” she whispered. 

He hummed an affirmative. “Come here,” he mumbled, sleep already dragging him under again, but he still pulled her closer until she rested her head on his chest. A few moments later, his breath evened out and she allowed herself to be lulled back to sleep by it, a tiny part of her hoping to return to her dream. 


	17. I'll Be There In 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> First things first again: Thank you for reading and commenting! I'm glad you guys liked that Tom didn't end up brokenhearted, he really didn't deserve that :-)
> 
> As for now ... guess who is all grown up and starting their adult lives? But some things still stay the same, obviously. Let me know what you think?

_You need a pick-me-up?_   
_I'll be there in twenty-five_   
_I like to push my luck_   
_So_ _take my hand, let's take a drive_

_(FINNEAS – Let's Fall_ _In_ _Love_ _For_ _The_ _Night)_

Nick looked around the empty living room, feeling a weird mixture of sadness and happiness as he took in the empty walls and lack of furniture. All that was left was a mattress in the middle of what used to be the living room, some pillows, a blanket and some candles. Everything else had already been either disposed of or put in the moving truck they had rented and would be driving back to Greendale themselves. 

They had ordered pizza one last time earlier that night, their already empty kitchen the perfect excuse. The boxes, along with the now empty bottle of wine they had shared, were already in the big garbage bag they had to get rid of tomorrow before returning the keys to their landlord and ultimately saying goodbye to the apartment.

“I guess this is it, huh?” he asked, sinking down into the pillows and staring at the ceiling.

Sabrina lay down next to him, propped up on her elbow so she could look at him. “This is it,” she confirmed. “I can’t believe it’s over already. That we’re really moving back to Greendale.”

Nick turned his head and looked at her. “It really doesn’t feel like it’s been almost four years since we moved here.”

She sighed. “True. But we’ve also been kind of busy, so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised how fast time passed.”

He grabbed her free hand and squeezed it. “And after the summer you’re going to start teaching your first classes at Sunnydale High while working on your Master’s degree. I’m proud of you, Spellman.”

Sabrina smiled and kissed his cheek. “The principal warned me that some of the students can be hell to deal with sometimes, but I’m up for it. And I’m proud of you, Scratch. You’re going to TA your first classes at Greendale University, buying your own house … that’s huge!”

“The offer still stands, by the way. If you want to move in there with me instead of staying at the mortuary, there’s more than enough space.” Nick had spent the better part of spring break looking at houses, Sabrina by his side to help him make the decision in the end. Zelda had jumped at the chance to help with negotiations and all the legal proceedings and had offered to handle all of that in his absence. Thanks to her, all that was left to do was sign the contract once they were back and the place would be officially his. 

She shook her head. “I know, but … until everything is settled with my job and my own courses, I think it’s best for me to stay at the mortuary. At least for the time being. Besides, I’m not going to move into your house and not pay rent, Nick. We talked about that.”

He huffed. “Yes, and you’re being stubborn.”

“Hello, have we met?” Sabrina asked, her eyebrow raised. 

Nick chuckled. “Spellman, I wouldn’t make you pay rent. The place is paid for, there’s no mortgage – why would I make you pay for a room?”

“Because that is literally how these things work, Nick.” 

“Your aunts never mentioned me paying rent when I moved to the mortuary.”

She rolled her eyes. “That was different. We were still in high school.”

“Hey, my place, my rules,” he answered, grinning at her. 

“I’d feel like I’d be taking advantage. If, and that is a big if, I decide to take you up on the offer later on, I’m paying rent and we’re splitting costs,” Sabrina said.

“Okay on the split costs, but no rent,” he argued. When she opened her mouth, he repeated: “No. Rent.”

“And you call me stubborn,” she mumbled, unhappy. 

“That’s why we get along so well,” Nick said, tapping the tip of her nose.

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s going to be the reason why we’ll kill each other one day, who can tell?” Sabrina said.

“You’d miss me too much.” He opened his arms to her in invitation. “Come here.”

She nestled into his embrace, her head on his chest as she looked around the empty room, bathed in the soft candlelight. “We had some good times here,” she said after a while.

“We did,” Nick agreed. “But also some really bad ones. I can’t help it, a part of me is glad to leave this place behind.”

Sabrina nodded. “I know what you mean. But not everything was bad, so we’ll always have that. Like tonight. This is nice.”

Nick’s fingertips gently moved up and down her spine. “It is. But it might not have been our  _ brightest  _ idea to already put all the lamps in the truck.”

She groaned at the pun, but still lifted her head with a small smile on her face because she couldn’t help it. “Why, you don’t like the candle light?”

He looked at her, took in the way the soft warm light of the candles made her dark eyes shine. Nick brushed a light blonde curl behind her ear and watched her lean into the gesture. They had grown closer again over the last few months, cuddled more on the couch than they had over the first three years in New Orleans combined. Not that he was complaining to have her in his arms again, but it was a dangerous game to play – he knew that better than anyone. And with the way Sabrina was looking at him now, the soft smile, no walls between them, he suddenly felt eighteen years old again. Nick blamed the wine.

“I like the candle light, I just hadn’t realized we even had candles,” he answered with a small smile.

She shrugged. “I got them on a whim. Good thing I did, too.” Sabrina studied him, the way his skin seemed to shine with the warm light that did him all kinds of favors. Before she could stop herself, she brushed that stubborn curl off his forehead that he tried to tame every day, sometimes more, sometimes less successfully. Maybe she should have stopped drinking after the first glass of wine.

“Yeah, good thing you did.” His response was soft and his eyes closed when her fingertips brushed his forehead. When Nick opened his eyes again, he could have sworn Sabrina had shifted up a little and his arm around her waist tightened, pulling her closer, his eyes not leaving hers.

Sabrina felt her breath grow a little shallower, a little faster when she realized how close they were. The moment felt intimate and so familiar she could almost taste it. They had been here before and it should be a big red flashing warning sign, but all she could focus on were his warm eyes.

Neither was sure who moved first, but suddenly Nick’s lips were on hers and Sabrina gasped at the contact. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and groaned when she responded just as enthusiastically, her hand on his cheek, holding him close as his own fingers tangled in her hair. Kissing her felt even better than he remembered, even if it was wrong and they were playing with fire.

Sabrina lost herself in the kiss, warmth washing over her whole body as Nick held her close. A voice in her head told her to stop it, but another told her to just enjoy it for what it was, an incredibly intense kiss that made her toes curl.

When they had to break apart, Nick leaned his forehead against hers as they both gasped for air. She looked at  him wide-eyed and the moment slowly started to slip away, making room for the reality of their situation.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” Nick said quietly, speaking the word he was sure she was thinking as well.

“We shouldn’t have,” she agreed. When she wet her lips, he had to hold onto every ounce of self-control  to not kiss her again. “But what happens in New Orleans, stays in New Orleans, right?”

He chuckled at her words. “I think that’s Vegas.”

“I say the same rules apply here,” Sabrina stated. After a moment, she added: “But it was a nice kiss.”

Nick raised an eyebrow at that. “That kiss was more than nice and you know it.” He saw her blush a little bit and smiled, something in him rearing its head, happy that he still had that sort of impact on her. “But it was just a kiss. No big deal.”

“You’re right. No big deal,” she agreed. “Just a spur of the moment thing.”

“Nothing more,” he added. A few moments of silence passed between them. “Maybe we should try to get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Sabrina nodded. “You’re right, we should.”

With a smile, he pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth again, noting how her breath caught. Maybe the wine made him a little bolder and he should really stop while he was at it before things got messy again. “Good night, Spellman.”

Sabrina took a deep breath as she took him in. “Good night, Scratch,” she replied, moving to rest her head on his chest again. If her lips brushed the underside of his jaw, that was absolutely an accident. She wrapped her arm around his middle and forced herself to close her eyes as his arm around her tightened, holding her close. She absolutely needed to go to sleep now and not think about how good it had felt to kiss her best friend again. That  was a road better not travelled. They had been there before and it hadn’t exactly ended well.

Nick caressed her back again, forcing himself to settle down. Kissing Sabrina like that had brought up a lot of memories that should have stayed buried, of afternoons and nights spent in either of their bedrooms at the mortuary or that afternoon they were almost caught in the living room by her aunt Zelda. He shouldn’t think about it, that way had led to pain before. He should just take it for what it was, a kiss between two consenting adults who probably shouldn’t have killed an entire bottle of wine between them. Nothing more. He told himself that over and over until sleep finally pulled him under.

**********

"Nick? Where do you want the towels?” Sabrina called two weeks later as she looked at the marked boxes in the hallway on the upper floor. She still couldn’t really wrap her head around the fact that this place actually belonged to him. When had they grown old enough to buy houses? 

“There’s a cabinet in the bathroom,” he answered from the living room. “But there are also some framed pictures in that box that I want to put up in the hallway.”

“Want me to put them up? Or do you need help?” He was currently putting together cabinets and bookshelves in the living room and although he had insisted earlier that he could do it alone, she was sure that some help wouldn’t hurt.

“I’m good, you can put up the pictures!” Nick called, followed by a curse only a few seconds later.

“Are you sure?” Sabrina asked.

“Can you two stop screaming like lunatics?” Ambrose demanded as he emerged from Nick’s bedroom where he had put up the lamps. “I’ll help him with the furniture. No offense, cousin, but I’m a little stronger than you.”

“Fine with me. I’ll help Hilda in the kitchen, then,” she replied with a slight shrug.  Of course, Hilda had taken it upon herself to organize the kitchen – and she was probably already making a list of all the things that were missing in her opinion. Maybe Sabrina could do some damage control there and let her aunt know which items on the list Nick wasn’t going to need. 

After putting away the towels, she grabbed a hammer and some nails and went to work with the pictures. They were all the same size, so Nick could always change the order if he didn’t like it. Sabrina smiled when she grabbed the first frame with what she was sure would have been a great Christmas card picture. Nick’s parents were looking at each other while Nick himself, maybe around half a year old from the looks of it, tugged on his father’s hair. She gently brushed her thumb over the glass, saving the information that Nick had been a cute  baby  in the back of her mind as she placed the picture on the wall. The next two were a wedding picture of his parents and an older couple Sabrina didn’t recognize, but were probably one set of grandparents. 

Her smile widened when she grabbed another picture and saw that it was her and Nick in fourth grade in their Halloween costumes – Sabrina as a witch with a pointy hat, Nick in full Harry Potter robes that Hilda had made for him because Blackwood couldn’t be bothered and her aunt had already accepted the young boy into the family fold. The next one was the picture that had been on their fridge in New Orleans – the one from her birthday when they had visited the psychic. She brushed her fingertips over their smiling faces before placing the picture on the wall next, right next to their childhood image.

When she had checked her handywork, she went to the kitchen that looked like a bomb had went off. “Auntie?” Sabrina asked, jumping a little when Hilda popped up from behind the kitchen island.

“Hello, love! Everything alright?” Hilda asked, busying herself with stacking the pans.

“Yes, I wanted to check if you needed some help here?” 

“That would be great! Zelds is taking a break and Cee ran off to grab us some lunch from the shop, so I’m on my own right now.” 

“What do you want me to do?” Sabrina looked around the chaos, trying to figure out where to begin.

“There’s a box over there with plates and bowls, I thought those should go in that cupboard,” Hilda explained, pointing at an open cupboard next to Sabrina.

“Got it.” 

Between the two of them, the kitchen quickly looked organized, the chaos gradually growing smaller until everything was stored where it was supposed to go. And not a moment too soon, because only a few minutes after the last pot found a home, Cee entered the kitchen with their food, followed by Ambrose and Nick, both with a light sheen of sweat on their foreheads. 

Nick plopped down on a chair at the kitchen table and sighed happily at the opportunity to sit down and get off his feet, even if it was just for the duration of lunch.

“Exhausted?” Sabrina asked, smiling as she crossed the room.

“You can say that again. Getting this much furniture was a mistake,” he complained.

She ruffled his hair with a smile that grew wider when he leaned into her touch. “I’m done here, so I can always help you guys,” the blonde offered as Nick wrapped his arm around her middle and brought her close. Neither of them noticed the looks the other three occupants of the kitchen shared at the scene. 

“Sure, Ambrose and I wouldn’t complain about another set of hands.” He closed his eyes and leaned against her as she combed her hand through his hair, dragging her nails over his scalp in a way she had discovered years ago relaxed him.

“Perfect, then I can take a nap on that new couch. It looks really comfortable, might as well test that theory,” Ambrose quipped, earning himself a dirty look from Sabrina. 

“Alright, let’s eat first,” Cee jumped in and placed the paper bags with the food on the table while Hilda grabbed some plates. 

Soon enough, Zelda joined them as well and conversation flowed easy as everyone sat on the table and almost inhaled lunch. Nick watched with a small smile as Zelda rolled her eyes at something Ambrose said and Cee made Hilda giggle about something. Although Sabrina had told him time and time again over the years, he only now fully realized that this, right here at the table in his new home, was what being part of a family was supposed to feel like.

“Everything okay?” Sabrina asked quietly, noting the far-away look on his face.

Nick grabbed her hand under the table and laced their fingers together. “Couldn’t be better.”

********  
**

“Scratch,” Nick mumbled into the phone, still more asleep than awake. It was only 9 PM, but basically moving twice in a matter of weeks had really taken it out of him, making him fall asleep on the couch ridiculously early. 

Sabrina bit her lip, instantly feeling bad for calling him. She knew that tone – he had been asleep and she had woken him up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Sabrina?” He asked, slightly shaking his head to clear his mind at least a little bit.

“Yeah, it’s me. But I’ll call someone else, sorry. Go back to sleep,” she replied. 

The tone in her voice woke him up. “Wait a second. What’s wrong?” She sounded – not exactly distressed, but sad. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll try again to reach Ambrose. Goodnight, Nick.”

“Hang on. What’s going on, Spellman? Talk to me.” Nick was fully awake now, the information that she had tried calling at least her cousin before him slowly sinking in. He heard a car in the background. “Where are you?”

“I’m at a payphone … in Riverdale,” Sabrina reluctantly admitted. 

“What are you doing in Riverdale?” His brow furrowed as Nick was trying to make sense of the situation but so far coming up empty.

Sabrina sighed. “Aunt Zee set up this blind date for me with a guy from city hall and we went to this new fancy restaurant that opened last year.”

“So ... you’re with this guy right now?” It didn’t make sense that she called him when she was with another guy. 

“I … was … with him.” She paused for a moment. “I … look, I know that it’s late and you probably just want to go back to sleep. But I couldn’t reach Ambrose or Hilda and I can’t exactly call Zelda and …”

Nick was already on his feet. “I’ll be there as fast as I can. Can you go back to the restaurant or some other crowded place to wait? I don’t want you standing around on your own in the dark.” He could hear the small smile on her lips when she answered.

“I’m close to the gas station, I’ll grab a coffee and wait there,” she promised. “Nick … thanks. You’re a life saver. I don’t know how tonight would have ended if I hadn’t reached you.” 

“Okay, I sense a bigger story there. We’ll talk about this when I’m there. I should be with you in 25 at the latest,” Nick had the phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder while trying to tie his shoes. Whatever had happened between Sabrina and this guy sounded like something they shouldn’t discuss on the phone. He pushed away the fact that it somehow bothered him a little that she went on a date in the first place.

“Thanks, Nick. And I’m really sorry for waking you,” she said again.

“Don’t worry about it, Spellman. I’ll hang up now, you go grab that coffee. See you soon.”

“Drive safe,” Sabrina couldn’t help but remind him.

“I will. Bye.”

“Bye.”

True to his word, Nick pulled into the gas station 25 minutes later. He didn’t have time to get out of the car, though, since Sabrina had seen his car approach and was already walking over to him. He barely managed to open the door for her from the inside before she already slumped down in the passenger seat.

When she didn’t say anything, Nick reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. Sabrina looked down at their hands and finally lifted her eyes to him. “Thanks for picking me up, Nick. You didn’t have to. I know you’re exhausted from moving and getting the house in order and I’m really sorry for this.”

He gave her a small smile, the kind that was reserved for her. “I’ll always come for you, Spellman, you don’t even have to ask. Didn’t you learn that by now? And stop apologizing.”

She returned the smile and gave his hand a gentle squeeze of her own. “Thank you.” When Sabrina looked back at the gas station, she saw the cashier looking in the direction of Nick’s car. “Maybe we should go. Or I’ll have to go in there and grab another coffee or something.” 

“Let’s get out of here,” Nick agreed and let go of her hand. The next few minutes were spent in silence except for the radio playing some classic rock song. Finally, he couldn’t take the silence any longer. “So … judging from the fact that I just picked you up from a date with another guy, I’d say it didn’t exactly go well. Wanna talk about it?”

Sabrina was looking out the window of the passenger seat and Nick wasn’t sure she even heard the question. He opened his mouth to say something when she spoke. “He was a really pretentious, condescending jerk and let’s just say he and your uncle would probably really hit it off.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Nick was glad that he had to focus on the road and Sabrina had her head turned away so she didn’t see the look on his face. To say he was surprised, and not in a good way, would be putting it mildly. Why would her aunt set her up on a date with a guy like that?

“The evening started okay enough. He picked me up at the mortuary, brought me flowers – seemed like a nice guy. Halfway on the way to Riverdale, he commented on how my dress was really short and it might give guys the wrong impression. I brushed it off, but it should really have been a warning for how the rest of the evening was going to go.” Sabrina shrugged slightly. “In the restaurant, he ordered red wine for us without even asking and you know that I like white wine better. And then he insisted that he should order our food because the waiter had looked at me funny? By the way, he blamed that on my short dress. I humored him because I didn’t want to  make a scene . And then he changed my order – from the soup entrée to a salad because apparently, that’s what a girl  _ should  _ eat. When I thanked the waiter when he brought our food, I got a lecture how the guy was just doing his job and I didn’t need to thank him because he now surely thought I was flirting with him. That’s how the entire dinner went – him telling me how I should behave and commenting on everything I did that he didn’t like.”

Nick didn’t say anything for a while, trying to process what Sabrina had just told him. So the guy had basically tried to put a muzzle on Sabrina Spellman – he almost felt pity for the guy if he didn’t sound like a complete jerk. “What happened after dinner?” He asked. 

“He paid and we left in this awkward silence because at some point, I had just stopped talking and stuffed my face with food, hoping to get out of there sooner. When we left, the couple on the neighbor table stared at me with so much pity that I wanted to scream.” Sabrina took a deep breath. “On the way to the car, Wilbur explained to me that he wanted me to wear a dress that covered more for our next date and wear less makeup. And how I really needed to learn to let a man make decisions for me. I mean … the nerve!” She scoffed. “Not just expecting me to go on another date with him but also deciding what I should wear and tell me how to behave … right. Not going to happen, which I told him right there. He still offered to drive me back to Greendale but I really didn’t want to spend another minute with him in a car, so I refused. I only realized that I didn’t have enough money to call a cab and that my phone battery had died as well when he was already gone. At least I had enough change to make some calls.” A small, self-deprecating smile appeared on her face. 

“Wow. That’s … a lot. But … Wilbur? Really? What did you expect from going on a date with a guy called Wilbur?” Nick said after a moment. Sabrina didn’t answer but chuckled and Nick was still a little bit at a loss of what to say, so the next few minutes were spent in silence again. He was still trying to wrap his head around all the information he got when he realized that they had already reached Greendale. Nick set the turn signal in the direction of Sabrina’s place when she jerked upright in her seat. “What’s the matter?”

“I can’t go home tonight,” she stated. "Aunt Zee will be there and she’ll definitely want to know how it went and why I’m home already and I really don’t want to face her tonight.”

He nodded. “Right, probably not a good idea. You might blow up.” He changed the turn signal in the other direction and turned left instead of right, taking the road that would lead them to his house. “You can crash at my place,” Nick commented. 

“Thank you. Again. I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Face the firing squad called Zelda Spellman,” he replied, the deadpan tone of his voice making her laugh quietly. “But on a more serious note: you’ll never have to find out, Sabrina. You should know that by now.” 

Nick pulled into the driveway and got out to open the door for her before Sabrina had even unbuckled her seatbelt. “Always the gentleman,” she teased.

“You know me,” he shrugged, a hint of his usual smirk appearing on his lips. He led her to the door and inside the house. When she took off her coat, Nick took in her appearance. She had worn a simple but elegant black dress that reached mid-thigh and hugged her petite frame in all the right places. Her hair was curled a bit more than usual, there was a slight hint of smoky makeup emphasizing her eyes and the heels she wore helped her gain a few inches, but he quickly had to lower his gaze a little when she kicked them off. “For what it’s worth, you look absolutely breathtaking tonight, Spellman. And Wilbur is an idiot for wanting to change a single thing about that look.”

“Not that it did me any good,” Sabrina commented, but she still had a small smile on her face. “But thanks, anyway.”

“Want something to drink? Water? Whisky?” Nick offered. 

“In that order,” she replied, making him laugh.

“Go to the living room, I’ll be right there.” He went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water for her, which also gave him a second to clear his head. He hadn’t meant to blurt out that comment about her outfit, his mouth moving before his brain could catch up. It was true, she looked stunning, but ‘breathtaking’ might have been a bit too much for a friendly comment. Nick shook his head. Nothing to be done about it now and Sabrina was probably still too focused on her horrible date to notice.

When he entered the living room, he found Sabrina curled up on the couch, well on her way to sleep in the same spot he had slept in about an hour earlier. The emotional exhaustion of not ripping the guy’s head off right there in the middle of the restaurant probably had caught up with her the second she felt that she could relax and he was glad that his house offered that kind of safety to her. He sat down the glass of water and sat down at the edge of the sofa, gently shaking her shoulder. 

“Come on, Spellman, time for bed,” he said softly, not wanting to disturb her more than necessary.

“I’m okay right here,” Sabrina mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.

Nick shook his head, not that she could see it. “Alright then.” He stood up and picked her up like she weighed nothing. 

Normally she would have protested, but in her current state, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned closer as he carried her up the stairs. It felt good to be in his arms. Safe. “I could have walked,” she still mumbled, unable to help herself.

“I know,” was all Nick said. He nudged the door to his bedroom open and sat Sabrina down on the bed before turning to his closet to grab a shirt for her and some clothes to sleep in for himself. She accepted the shirt with a grateful smile before he nodded to the adjoining bathroom. “I’ll get changed in there. Make yourself at home.”

When he came back out, he smiled. Sabrina had changed, her dress on a hanger she must have grabbed from his closet. Now she sat on the edge of the bed, her legs swinging idly while she waited for him to leave the bathroom. When she hopped down from the bed, he shook his head, chuckling. She had joked before how his bed was ridiculously high and had made a show of jumping down to prove a point. He was glad that tonight wasn’t any different. 

“I’m on the couch if you need anything,” Nick said, ready to leave the bedroom. He stopped when he felt Sabrina’s hand on his arm. 

“You don’t need to leave, Nick. I’m not going to kick you of your own bedroom and we’ve shared a bed so many times over the years that I lost count a long time ago. Please, stay.”

He looked at her, trying to find even the hint of doubt. “Are you sure? I mean … I know it went bad, but you were still on a date tonight,” he still asked. 

“I’m sure,” she confirmed, slightly nodding. “And that date? That was even worse than when I dated Caliban. A lot, which says something. I just … need to feel safe and accepted. And you do that for me, Nick. I hope you know that.” 

“I know,” he said with a small smile. “I’ll stay.” Her smile told him that he made the right choice. They stood in silence for a moment, taking each other in. Nick cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Alright, wash the makeup off your face, I don’t want it staining my sheets,” he declared, trying to lighten the mood. 

Sabrina rolling her eyes told him that it worked. “You know, High School Nick wouldn’t have cared about that.”

“High School Nick also didn’t have to worry about getting the stains out of his sheets,” he reminded her. His uncle had always paid someone to clean the house and do the laundry. It wasn’t until Nick had left that place behind that he learned how to take care of himself – and he took pride in the fact that he didn’t rely on other people to keep his house and laundry clean. The Spellmans had played a big part on his way to independence in every aspect and he would be forever grateful to them for that. “He would still be more than happy to spend the night in bed with you, though,” he added, laughing when she swatted at his arm before going to the bathroom.

When she got back out, her face makeup free and her headband gone, Nick had settled in his bed, on the side that long ago had become his when they shared sleeping space. Sabrina wordlessly crawled under the covers and into his open arms, thankful for the comfort he was offering. When his arms wrapped around her waist, she lay her head on his chest, letting his heartbeat calm her down.

“Spellman?” he asked quietly after a while, unsure if she had fallen asleep. 

“Yes?” Sabrina didn’t move, but spoke clearly, even if it was just a word.

Nick took a deep breath. “I just … I noticed something and it got me thinking.”

“That’s never good,” she replied, making him chuckle. “What did you notice?”

“It’s just … how the hell did you not rip the guy’s head off right there in the restaurant? From what you told me, you let him treat you like shit the whole night, that’s not like you,” he said, concern audible in his voice.

She sighed and buried closer into his embrace. “To be honest … I don’t know why I didn’t just get up and leave. Maybe because I thought I owed it to Aunt Zee to give him a chance. Or maybe it was because I was trying to see why she thought a date with that guy would be a good idea. At some point during the evening, my brain just shut down, I guess, and all I could think was that I at least got an expensive dinner out of it as compensation.”

Nick pressed a kiss to her hair. “I’m seriously wondering if she had a martini too much when she set up that blind date for you.”

“Or two or ten,” Sabrina mumbled, making him chuckle. “Stop laughing, my pillow is shaking and I don’t like it,” she complained.

“Your pillow can always go downstairs and sleep on the couch,” he reminded her, smiling when her hold on him tightened. “But considering you’re currently using me as a pillow because you didn’t want to go home … Are you still sure that you want to stay at the mortuary?” Nick didn’t want to say it, but the house felt empty without Sabrina. He had gotten so used to her being around during their time in New Orleans that it felt wrong to live without her.

“Are you offering that room to me again?” She pushed herself up slightly so she could look at him.

He sent her a sheepish grin. “I guess I just really miss living with you.”

Warmth flooded her at his words and she smiled. “I miss living with you, too,” Sabrina confessed, biting her bottom lip for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

Nick raised his eyebrow. “Okay?”

“I’ll move in. But under one condition,” she said.

He grinned, already well aware of what she was going to say. “We’ll split costs.”

She broke into a smile. “Deal.”

“Deal,” he replied and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. 

“I guess that means another trip to the furniture store,” Sabrina said, laughing when he groaned almost excessively. 

“Fine. But only because I like you. And now go to sleep, you’ll have to explain to your aunts tomorrow that you’re moving out again,” Nick said.

“Careful, Scratch, you almost sound like Wilbur,” she warned him, but kissed his cheek before settling down again, her head resting on his chest once more.

The room grew quiet for a few minutes and Sabrina was on the brink of sleep when Nick huffed. “Wilbur … honestly, what was Zelda thinking?”

**********

The next Saturday, Sabrina watched with her hands on her hips as Nick unceremoniously plopped down on her newly assembled bed with a deep sigh, his head resting on his hands as he looked up at the ceiling.

“Mind telling me what you’re doing?”

He turned his head, but otherwise didn’t move an inch. “Someone has to make sure your bed is comfortable. By the way: it is, you picked a good one.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so this is just you, being completely selfless. Taking one for the team.”

Nick grinned. “You know me. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you had to sleep in an uncomfortable bed.”

Sabrina sighed. “Oh, I know you, don’t worry. And now that you’ve confirmed it’s comfortable, get out of my bed.” She held her hand out to help him up. “We still have a wardrobe to put together. Nick!” She squealed when instead of getting up, he pulled her onto the bed next to him.

“Or we could take a short break,” he answered, already pulling her into a hug. “I’m glad you agreed to move in here,” Nick mumbled into her hair.

“And all it took was you asking about twenty times,” she quipped, squirming when he pinched her side. “But I’m glad I did, too. Living without you has become really hard, Scratch.” 

When Sabrina had told her family that she was going to move in with Nick after all, Ambrose had groaned about the fact that she hadn’t decided to do that when they had helped Nick move in, Hilda had smiled and Zelda had been almost suspiciously quiet as she took a sip from her martini. Her cousin’s mood had considerably brightened when Sabrina told him they wouldn’t need their help since it was only one room – they'd manage that on their own. And considering that most of her things were still in boxes anyway, this second move in a matter of weeks wouldn’t be too big of a deal, anyway. 

“That’s nothing you have to worry about anymore,” he said with a small smile before looking around the room. “Now, where to hide an old creepy doll for you to find in about a year …Hey!” Nick laughed when Sabrina slapped his shoulder.

“Don’t you dare!” She was still not over the fact that their landlord hadn’t had an explanation for that doll and where it had come from, either.

Nick pulled her closer again. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you again. Roommates 2.0 comes without any creepy kid’s toys.”

“Good, once was more than enough.” Sabrina wiggled out of his embrace. “Now come on, that wardrobe is not going to build itself and I want to put my clothes away before we go to the mortuary for dinner.” Hilda had insisted on that – both of them should come over for dinner at least once a week, even if they lived on their own now. Neither had taken issue with that demand, all too happy to not have to cook for themselves.

“Alright, let’s get this done.” He got up as well. “Any idea what she’s making?”

“She mentioned lasagna, I think.” Sabrina laughed when Nick hummed in appreciation.

“What are we waiting for, let’s put this thing together so we can go!” He ripped open the cardboard box containing the wardrobe, suddenly a lot more eager to get to work as soon as possible.


	18. When You Say the Things You Say They Start a Little Spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to still read this story and for commenting. Reading your thoughts on this really makes my day and just means a lot <3
> 
> Regarding this chapter: I hope you brought a little time because this is a big chapter - simply because I couldn't bring myself to make a cut. You also might want to fasten your seatbelts. 
> 
> So ... that being said, have fun and let me know what you think?"

_When you say the things you say they start a little spark_   
_Ignite this small but also highly flammable heart_   
_I smell something burning, we're melting down tonight_   
_You're setting me on fire, I don't wanna fight it_   
_You don't need a lighter, you're a flame_

_(7Chariot – Pyrokinesis)_

“So let me get this straight, you and Nick would rather stay home on a Friday night than go out?” Caroline asked, her eyebrow raised as she saw Sabrina shrug on the screen of her laptop. “You’re acting like an old married couple, you know that, right?” 

“You sound like Ambrose,” Sabrina complained. 

“Maybe think about it if two people tell you the same thing.” 

“I guess it’s just … the new school year only began and we’re both still adjusting to the changes. Going out is not too high up on our list of priorities.” 

The redheaded girl grinned as she put her hair in a messy ponytail. “Look at you, all grown up and responsible. But talking about school – did any seniors try to hit on you yet because they thought you were a transfer?” Caroline had bet ten Dollars on that happening in the first few weeks of the school year, blaming Sabrina’s ‘baby face’, as she had called it. 

“Nope, sorry, no seniors hitting on me yet,” Sabrina answered, laughing when Caroline cursed. Her phone vibrated and she grabbed it, scanning the message she got. 

“Anything important?” 

“Just Nick, he’ll be home soon,” she said, typing out a quick reply before putting her phone on the table again. “And we’re not as responsible or boring as you think, tonight’s movie night will involve a drinking game.” 

Caroline snorted at that. “Yeah, right. You and Nick getting shitfaced on your couch isn’t sad at all.” 

“Better than getting drunk and making terrible choices at a college party,” Sabrina replied. 

Her friend took a sip from her coke. “Can’t argue with that, at least this way, you don’t do something stupid like clay boy again.” Caroline laughed when Sabrina groaned. She’d never let her live that one down. “Anyway, how has living together with Scratch again been so far?” 

“It’s good. I mean, it’s not really different from living together in New Orleans, we just have a lot more space,” she looked around the living room. “I mean, we even have the same posters in our living room here.” Sabrina turned the laptop to show Caroline the room. 

“Nice fireplace!” She exclaimed. “That’s going to be really great in winter.” 

The blonde smiled and nodded when she turned the laptop back around again. “True. I’m almost looking forward to it being cold enough so we can put that thing to use. And then I can cuddle up here on the couch with some hot chocolate and a book.” 

“I usually prefer the warmth down here, but that sounds really nice, Sabrina.” She couldn’t hide the tiniest bit of envy in her voice. 

“You’re always welcome to visit,” she offered. “I miss you guys. Do you have any plans for New Year's yet?” 

Caroline shook her head. “Not yet. Let me talk to Elliot, because honestly, I really want to do this.” 

The front door opened and closed, followed by rustling. “Honey, I’m home!” Nick called loud enough for Caroline to hear him loud and clear, too. 

“Honey?” she asked, her eyebrows raised so high they almost met her hairline. “Did you forget to mention something, Sabrina?” 

The youngest Spellman sighed. “Of course not.” She turned her head when Nick entered the living room to look at him. “Nick is just being an idiot.” 

“Ouch, that really hurts, Spellman,” he said as he sat down next to her and kissed her cheek in greeting. Caroline noted how Sabrina leaned into him just a little bit at the gesture. “Hey Caroline, how are you doing? How’s Elliot?” 

“I’m good, just really envious of what I’ve seen of your place. And Elliot’s fine, really busy training for a tournament at the moment, though.” 

“When is it? We’ll keep our fingers crossed, obviously,” Nick asked. 

“Next weekend, then I finally get my boyfriend back.” 

“At least you can start the countdown, then.” He looked at Sabrina. “I picked up pizza on the way home, I hope that’s okay?” They had planned to order in anyway, but when he drove past the place where they had already ordered from as teenagers, he decided on a whim to get their dinner. 

“Sounds great,” she said. 

“Okay, guess this means you want to stuff your face with greasy food before getting drunk at home,” Caroline said, shaking her head again at the idea. “I’ll talk to Elliot about New Year’s and let you know, Sabrina.” 

“I hope he didn’t make any other plans yet,” the blonde answered. 

“I doubt it. It’s the beginning of October, we’re not that organized.” 

Sabrina laughed. “Alright, if you say so. Talk to you soon.” 

“Have fun later, bye!” 

When Sabrina had closed her laptop, she turned to look at Nick. “’Honey, I’m home.’ Really, Nick?” 

He laughed and pulled her into his side, his laughter growing louder when she grumbled. “I just wanted to mess with Caroline a little.” 

“Well, it worked, congratulations,” she said. 

“Thank you,” Nick said, grinning when she sighed. “I’ll grab the pizza, you pour the drinks?” He suggested. 

“Sounds good. Let’s get this show on the road. I say we start with Halloween and see if we make it through that one without passing out?” Sabrina got up and went to the shelf that housed their movie collection. “Or do you want to go with the Rocky Horror Picture Show first?” 

“Halloween sounds good. If only to get us into the mood for your birthday in two weeks,” he replied as he got up to get their food. 

About two hours later, Sabrina leaned against Nick, giggling as she pointed at the tv. “There’s a pumpkin, drink!” 

They had decided to only take a sip of their drinks every time they saw one of the items on their list, but Nick was starting to regret the particular life choice that led to the buzz he was feeling. Maybe they should have taken a few points off that drinking list. He still grabbed his glass, only to realize that it was empty. “Damn it,” he swore. 

Sabrina looked at his empty glass. “Oh no, we can’t have that,” she said, leaning over him to grab the bottle that held the concoction she had mixed earlier. However, Sabrina lost her balance and landed draped over his lap, sending her into a fit of laughter. “Oops,” she commented. 

“You’re drunk, Spellman,” Nick stated, grinning as he watched her scramble up again. 

“I’m not. I can sit right here without holding onto the couch,” she answered. 

He snorted. “Right. You’re terrible at holding your liquor, Sabrina. But you’re basically a pixie, so no surprise there.” 

“I’m not a pixie!” Sabrina exclaimed. 

“You’re tiny,” Nick said, proving his point by picking her up from her seat next to him and putting her back down in his lap. “See? That was stupid easy.” 

“Pff, that proves nothing.” Her arm was slung around his neck to keep her steady. “There’s a knife! We need to drink, Nick!” Her gaze drifted to his empty glass. “Oh no, you still need a refill.” 

“I think we’ve had enough,” he suggested, holding her close when she started squirming in his lap. He felt the buzz running through his veins and Sabrina obviously didn’t fare any better. 

“But we didn’t even get through one movie,” she replied, pouting, her lower lip sticking slightly forward. 

“The rules were brutal,” Nick reminded her, his gaze fixed on her mouth. He wanted to kiss that pout away but he was pretty sure that doing that would be a bad idea. 

Sabrina’s hand wandered into his hair on its own accord and Nick closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling. When he opened them again, she was closer, close enough so he could study that pout up close. 

“I think I found a gray hair, Nick, right here.” She tapped his temple. 

“You’re drunk, Sabrina,” he simply answered again. 

“No, it’s there! Just look in a mirror,” Sabrina insisted. 

“I’m 23 years old, I don’t have a gray hair on my head,” he said. Nick couldn’t tear his eyes away from her lips, felt his resistance to close the space between them fading rapidly. 

Sabrina nodded and leaned closer. “That’s not how that works. And yes, you do.” 

“Do not.” 

“You do,” she said, still pouting. 

“Do not,” Nick mumbled before giving in to the urge and kiss that pout away. He couldn’t stop the groan that escaped him when he felt her lips again, felt her respond to the kiss. He pulled her closer, needing to feel her pressed up against him. His mouth left hers, but Nick brushed her hair away and went to work on her neck, unable to stop himself from grinning when he heard her gasp. 

Sabrina used the hand she had buried in his hair to tug him away from her neck. At his questioning gaze, she brushed her lips against his before shifting in his lap to straddle him. “Better, right?” She asked, but didn’t give him time to answer because she leaned in for another kiss. 

Nick pushed the hem of her shirt up, needing to feel her soft skin under his hands again. Somewhere in the back of his mind, alarm bells rang, but they were easy enough to ignore with Sabrina in his lap, pressed up flush against him. When she started pulling at the hem of the Henley he had changed into earlier, he broke the kiss to pull the garment over his head. He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming when she pulled her own shirt off, following the lines of her light pink bra that was so innocent and still managed to drive him insane in a heartbeat. 

“God, Spellman, you’re killing me,” he groaned when she dragged her lips from the corner of his mouth over his cheek to his neck, pressing soft kisses everywhere she could reach. 

A wicked grin made its way onto Sabrina’s face when she rocked her hips against his and he threw his head back with a moan. This was probably a really bad idea, but … at the same time, it felt way too good to stop. His hands on her skin set her on fire, his kisses only stoking the flames. She didn’t want those feelings to stop. “Should we take this upstairs?” She whispered in his ear before kissing the sensitive spot below it that she had discovered back in high school when he tugged on the strap of her bra. 

Her question brought him back to present somewhat and he pushed her back enough so he could look at her. He caught her gaze. “Are you sure? How drunk are you, Sabrina?” Nick definitely felt the buzz their drinking game had caused, but he didn’t want to take advantage of her. 

“Not that drunk,” she answered, kissing him again as if to prove a point. When she pulled away, she smiled when he chased her lips for another short, sweet kiss. “I’m sure, Nick,” she added, looking at him again. 

A moment passed before he nodded. “Okay.” He was pretty sure this was a terrible idea, but he couldn’t resist the woman in his lap, never had been able to. Nick kissed her again, his desire for her simmering just below the surface. The second they were upstairs, he had a feeling that all bets were going to be off. 

Sabrina broke the kiss when she thought she might pass out otherwise, unwilling to lose the feeling of his lips sooner than necessary. When she looked at him, his pupils were blown wide, his dark eyes almost black. She slipped off his lap and the couch and laughed when he bemoaned the loss of contact. Nick tried to reach for her, but she took a step away, just out of his reach. 

“Sabrina …” There was a warning in his tone. 

“Get off that couch if you want to touch me,” she said. 

An almost predatory grin appeared on his face as he pushed himself up. “Be careful what you wish for,” Nick said, quickly crossing the distance and kissing her again, slowly moving them in the direction of the stairs. He pressed her against the handrail, his hands roaming her body again and his lips muffling the noises of approval. “Upstairs, now,” he mumbled against her lips, following her when she took his hand and led the way. 

Later, Nick was staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, his mind reeling and blissfully empty at the same time as Sabrina lay in his arms and drew nonsensical patterns on his chest with her fingertips, his own gently following her spine up and down. He had a hard time wrapping his head around how they had gotten here, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when Sabrina was back in his arms like this, basking in the afterglow of what had just happened. He looked at her and took a deep, content breath. Being with her like this was what he had wanted for a long time – for years, if he was completely honest with himself. The feelings had been buried deep for a while, Nick telling himself so many times that he was over her until he believed it himself. But the last few months had unearthed those feelings again, even if he had fought tooth and nail to keep them down. The kiss on their last night in New Orleans had apparently only been a taste, though. 

He drew her closer, smiling when she nestled deeper into his embrace with a soft, content sigh and pressed a soft kiss to his chest. Nick couldn’t help it, he felt like this was where they belonged – with each other. Come morning, they’d have to talk about this, face the consequences, but for now, he could just allow himself to feel and enjoy holding her in his arms again. The woman who meant so much to him that it threatened to overwhelm him from time to time. 

“God, I love you so much, Sabrina,” Nick said quietly, his own words registering only once he had said them out loud, his eyes widening. Shit. He hadn’t meant to say it. Couldn’t say those words out loud. 

Sabrina had been on the brink of falling asleep, the warmth radiating off of Nick along with the exhaustion and satisfaction providing a potent mix to pull her under. His words had her wide awake again in an instant, though. “What?” She hadn’t heard that right. No, absolutely not. She pushed herself up and saw his wide-eyed expression. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “No. Nick, no. Tell me that you did not just say that.” 

He could almost see the waves of anxiety crashing over her, but he couldn’t do anything about that now. If he managed to calm her down, explain … maybe. Maybe. He didn’t dare to hope. “I did.” He took a deep breath and decided to push forward since there was no going back. That door was firmly shut and bricked up now. “I love you, Sabrina.” He held her gaze. “I … I’ve loved you for years.” 

She sat up and held the blanket to her body, shielding herself from his gaze. “No. That’s not true. That can’t be true.” 

Nick sat up as well, studying her. She looked like she was going to jump out of the bed if he so much as touched her at the moment, even if that was exactly what he wanted to do. Pull her into his arms to help her calm down. But he had a feeling that that wouldn’t work now, not when she stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights. That she held the blanket to her like a lifeline, feeling the need to put any sort of barrier between them at all, hurt. “It’s true.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “No. You … you had a girlfriend. You wanted to marry her. I was there when it was over, you … no.” 

He closed his eyes for a moment. He had spent a lot of time thinking about that particular mistake. “I had a girlfriend, yes. A girlfriend that was the opposite of you in every single way, her looks as well as her personality. What do you think drew me to her in the first place? She was nothing like you. And after high school, after all of that, that seemed like a good way to get you out of my head. But I guess it never worked completely. You were always there, even if I didn’t see it at times.” 

She scooted away from him, needing space. “Don’t blame Julia on me,” she said. Sabrina felt like she was unable to breathe. This couldn’t be happening. 

Nick shook his head. “I’m not. I’m just … don’t you realize what I was just saying? I’ve been in love with you since high school, Sabrina.” 

“No. That’s a lie. It has to be. You’re lying.” She needed this to be a stupid joke. She needed him to tell her that he was just playing a stupid joke on her. 

“Why?” he simply asked, unable to read her. 

“Because if it’s not, you’ve been lying to me for years instead and I don’t think I could take that,” Sabrina answered quietly. 

“I don’t understand,” Nick stated. He couldn’t follow her thought process, but he didn’t like where this was going. Why, just why, hadn’t he been able to keep his stupid mouth shut? 

She spotted her underwear on the floor next to the bed and quickly put it back on, holding up the blanket as best as she could. While it was nothing he hadn’t seen before, she still felt the need to block his gaze. She didn’t want him to see her naked, at her most vulnerable. When she was done, she spoke again, unable to meet his eyes. “If you’re not lying now, if you’ve really …" she paused, having a hard time saying the words. “If you’ve really been in love with me since high school, then that means you’ve been lying about being my friend for years.” 

“What?” He looked at her dumbstruck. Her logic was so far off that he had no idea how to respond. But he felt her slipping away a little more with each passing second and it scared the hell out of him. “I have never lied to you about being your friend. You have to believe me.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “How can I believe that? How can I believe that when you apparently weren’t honest about how you felt about me to begin with?” Suddenly, another realization washed over her and she felt sick. “Oh my God.” 

“Sabrina?” Nick asked, itching to reach out when he watched her eyes widen. 

“What we did in high school … what was that to you?” Had he agreed to that arrangement, in retrospect one of the most stupid things she had done in her entire life because it was doomed from the first moment, because of his feelings? 

He had a bad feeling where her thoughts were headed when he noticed her breathing getting more erratic. “Spellman, please -” 

“Answer the question, Nick,” she demanded. 

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, mentally kicking himself over and over again. He had now slept with Sabrina twice and managed to make her panic both times because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. That had to be some sort of record. He knew that he had to choose his next words very carefully, otherwise he could lose her in the blink of an eye. “Sabrina … what we did back then … my feelings made it more complicated for me, yes. But seriously, you know as well as I do that there was this tension between us, this attraction. That wasn’t just one-sided. You felt it, too. Damn, you brought it up as a solution. I didn’t want to do it. I knew that it would hurt in the end, and it did. God, Sabrina, it hurt so much when it ended, but it was the only way because you weren’t going to change your mind and I had to step away from all that. And I think a part of me knew from the moment I agreed that it would end like that, in heartbreak. But I agreed anyway because I couldn’t say no to you. I never could.” 

Sabrina looked at her hands while he spoke, letting his words sink in. She had hurt him a lot more than she had realized. And he had a point – the attraction between then hadn’t been one-sided. She had told herself so many times that it was just the proximity, that they were both lonely … but it wasn’t. Those were just convenient excuses. She didn’t dare to think about the implications of that – what that really meant for her own feelings. When she looked up, her eyes shone with unshed tears. “I’m sorry, Nick,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” The last words were barely audible. 

“I know,” he said. Nick saw the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks and he tentatively reached out to hold her hand, something inside him relaxing the slightest bit when she let it happen. 

She looked down, noticed how her hand seemed to fit into his just right. Sabrina drew in a shaky breath. “I don’t know what to think or say right now,” she admitted. A few heartbeats later, she pulled her hand back. “I need to process this … just wrap my head around everything you said.” 

“Talk to me, Sabrina,” he asked, worry clear on his face. 

“I can’t, at least not right now. My head is a mess, Nick,” she confessed. “I don’t even know where to begin. I … I need time … and space.” She slipped out of the bed. “I think it’s best if I go back to the mortuary, at least for a couple of days.” There was a sad smile on her face and she hastily wiped her tears away when her eyes finally welled over. “I’m sorry, Nick,” she said again before picking up her pants, only remembering that her shirt was downstairs in the living room after a moment. 

His own eyes burned as he watched her slip away. “Me too, Sabrina. Me too,” he said to himself when she had left his bedroom. When he heard her door close, he fell back against his pillow, his eyes screwed shut as he punched the mattress in frustration. He had ruined everything and now he was going to lose her for good. 

**********

Four days later, Nick sat at the dining room table, books scattered across as he prepared for the class he was going to teach the next day since the professor he was TA-ing with had come down with the flu. He was barely able to concentrate, though, his thoughts constantly drifting to the petite blonde who had gone all but MIA since leaving the house early on Saturday morning. He knew she was trying to sneak out, but he hadn’t been able to sleep after everything that had happened, so he heard her quietly opening and closing the door to her room, her light steps as she went downstairs and shortly after the front door closing. 

Ambrose had reached out once he knew what was going on, offering his support – but Nick had told him to be there for Sabrina instead. He had gotten a few updates from her cousin, although none of them made him feel better. She only left her room when she needed to, skipped meals, kept busy with preparing for her classes in a manner that Ambrose described as almost manic. Anything to keep her mind busy so she didn’t have to think about what had happened. What had been said. 

A knock on the front door snapped him out of his thoughts and he pushed himself up, fighting against the bone-deep exhaustion that had haunted him for days now. He took a surprised step back when he opened the door and found Zelda Spellman on the other side. 

“Good evening, Nicholas, can I come in?” She asked, not waiting for an answer as she stepped around the surprised young man who mumbled “of course” before closing the door behind her. 

“I’m sorry, but … what are you doing here?” Nick wanted to know, his brow furrowed. Dread settled in his stomach and his heart sped up as a thought occurred to him. “Are you here to pick up some of Sabrina’s things?” Had she sent her aunt because she didn’t want to see him anymore? 

Zelda shook her head at the question, her lips pressed together as she took him in. He looked dead on his feet, deep circles under his eyes, as pale as some of the corpses she had dealt with at the mortuary. The mirror image of the state Sabrina was in. “I’m not,” she answered, “I’m here to talk to you. Can we sit?” 

“Sure,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the living room. “Do you want something to drink?” 

“No, I’m good, thank you.” Zelda sat down in an armchair on one side of the couch and waited until he had settled on the couch opposite her before she spoke again. “I’m going to cut to the chase. So you finally told my niece how you felt about her. At this point, I wasn’t sure you ever would.” 

He looked taken aback. “You knew?” 

She scoffed. “Please. Everybody knew, you wore your feelings on your sleeve for everyone to see. Well, everyone except for Sabrina. And now she has holed up in her old bedroom because she’s afraid to face the situation.” 

“How is she?” Nick couldn’t help himself, he needed to ask. Needed to hear more than what Ambrose had told him. 

Zelda took a deep breath. “I think the best way to describe it is overwhelmed. She’s all over the place. Throwing herself into work and when she can’t do anything anymore, she curls up with Salem in her arms and doesn’t want to see anyone, claims that she needs to work through everything on her own. Which is bullshit. Oh, don’t look so surprised, you have heard me say worse,” she added when his eyebrows shot up at her cursing. 

When her other words sank in, his eyes closed and his shoulders dropped. Sabrina’s state was his fault. For what felt like the millionth time, he wondered what had possessed him to say those words. 

Zelda watched him closely and sighed. “Alright, this wallowing stops now.” There was steel in her voice as well as her eyes when she said that. “Do you love my niece?” She asked bluntly. 

“I …" Nick started, unable to speak or look at her for more than a second before averting his eyes again. 

“Do you love my niece?” She repeated. When he avoided her gaze, she pursed her lips. “And look at me, I’m not the Medusa.” 

He took a deep breath before lifting his gaze to meet hers. “I love her,” he said. 

“Then do something about it. And soon. The longer you wait, the more Sabrina is going to get lost inside her own thoughts.” 

“What am I supposed to do? I’ve said more than enough already.” He had no idea where to start. It had kept him up at night, but so far, he had come up empty-handed. But Zelda was right – the more time passed, the harder it would be to get through to her. 

“Then show her instead. Show her that you love her and that she has to stop running from her own feelings.” After a short pause, she added: “Sabrina loves you, Nicholas. She’s just afraid to admit it, to herself and to you. If you truly love her, you need to put up a fight. You need to help her open her eyes, I’m afraid.” 

He shrugged helplessly. “Even if that’s true, how am I supposed to do that? She told me that she needs space and I’m going to respect that.” He didn’t want to think about what Zelda had told him. Didn’t want to get his hopes up too much. What if she was wrong after all and Sabrina didn’t feel the same way? 

Zelda sighed. “Waiting for her to come around is not putting up a fight,” she stated and reached into her purse. “As for showing her … you might have to do that quite literally. Because as smart as my niece usually is, she’s incredibly dense when it comes to her own heart.” She placed a picture on the coffee table. 

Nick swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat at the image. It was from prom night, a shot he hadn’t seen before. Neither was looking at the camera, instead they were looking at each other, seemingly lost in their own world. Things had been less complicated then. He carefully took the picture and studied it, his fingertips gently tracing the lines of Sabrina’s face. 

He needed her back, needed her like the air to breathe. The last few days without her had been horrible and it got worse with every passing day. He missed everything about her. Seeing her, hearing her laugh, talking to her, holding her when they sat on the couch and watched tv. Everything. Zelda was right, he needed to put up a fight one last stand. The picture in his hands reminded him of the one on the upstairs in the hallway, the same one that had stuck to their fridge in New Orleans. An idea started to form in his head. 

Zelda watched him, could almost see the gears in his head turning as he stared at the picture in his hands. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly when he caressed Sabrina’s face in the picture, not sure if he did that consciously. His love for her was so painfully obvious that it baffled Zelda once again how her niece had managed to not see it, or rather block it out. “I’ve watched this go on for years now, Nicholas. Please, do everyone a favor and put yourself and Sabrina out of this misery. I want to see both of you smiling again, this right now just won’t do.” 

Nick looked up at her at her admission, surprised by the rare show of emotion. 

She rolled her eyes at his almost baffled expression. “Don’t look at me like that. We might not be related and you were never officially under my care, but I still feel that Hilda and I had a hand in raising you when your uncle proved incompetent to do so. Of course I want to see you happy, too.” 

The lump in his throat was back at her words, the feeling of belonging somewhere threatening to overwhelm him. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. “I’ll try my best. There’s nothing I want more than to see Sabrina smile again.” 

Zelda nodded. “Good.” It looked like she had managed to shake him out of his stupor. 

Nick nodded towards the picture in his hands. “Do you think I could go through the rest of those?” 

“Of course. Who would have thought Hilda’s obsession with documenting everything would be of use someday?” A small smile appeared on her face. “Rosalind is dragging Sabrina to the cinema tomorrow night. I’ll tell Hilda to grab her photo albums.” She got up and brushed a hand over her skirt, fixing an imaginary wrinkle. 

He got up as well. “Thank you,” he simply said at first, before adding: “For everything.” He didn’t just mean coming over tonight, he meant opening her home to him when she didn’t have to. Letting him stay under her roof when she could have sent him away. Giving him a place where he belonged. And ultimately, encouraging him to fight for the woman he loved. 

“You’re welcome. And Nicholas? Everything is going to be okay. I’m sure of that. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Without another word, she left him to his own thoughts. There was a lot he needed to figure out. 

When the front door closed, Nick sank down on the couch again. He prayed to every deity that might listen that Zelda was right. He needed her to be right more than anything. And he’d do everything he possibly could to bring Sabrina home and hopefully make her see what had been right in front of her for years. Even if there was still a small voice that told him to also prepare for rejection and to take the necessary actions if Zelda turned out to be wrong, after all. 

**********

Sabrina couldn’t stop the sigh that left her lips when Ambrose stopped in front of the window of yet another jewelry store. He wanted to get a necklace for Prudence and had dragged her along to help him pick one out, but they had yet to actually go into a store. 

“Hm, not really her style,” he mused, scratching the back of his head. 

“Can we just go inside and see what they have other than the stuff in the window?” She didn’t care that she sounded like a petulant child. She hadn’t wanted to come along in the first place and her cousin was well aware of that. All Sabrina wanted was to go back to the mortuary and hide away in her room again. 

“Not with that attitude,” Ambrose joked, undeterred by the glare she sent his way. He had a mission to fulfill, after all – kepp Sabrina out of the mortuary until he got the message from Nick that it was okay to come back. He didn’t know exactly what Scratch had planned, but he really hoped it worked. And if Prudence got a necklace out if it, she wasn’t going to complain. “Fine, let’s go inside,” he relented and opened the door for his cousin. 

About half an hour later, they walked out of the shop, Ambrose with a necklace for Prudence and earrings for Sabrina – they had caught her attention and she was about to buy them for herself, so he stepped in and got them for her instead as a birthday present. 

“What do you want to do next?” He asked her. 

“How about we go back to Greendale? My bed is calling my name,” she suggested. Sabrina felt drained – probably because she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a week. She still had no idea how to face Nick after the last time they talked and the longer she postponed that conversation, the harder it was likely to get. 

“I was thinking more along the lines of grabbing a coffee,” Ambrose said as they walked down the street and passed a small café. “Come on, let’s sit down for a while.” 

“Ambrose … I really want to go home,” Sabrina repeated, unable to keep her exhaustion out of the statement. 

He led her to a small table in a quiet corner. “Soon. Let me treat you to a coffee first, though, hm?” He hoped Nick would send him that message soon. 

She sighed and sat down. “It’s not like I have a choice since you have the car keys.” 

“Exactly!” After they ordered their beverages, Ambrose leaned back in his chair. “How are you really doing, cousin? You’ve been a shadow of yourself since you came back to the mortuary.” 

“You just answered your own question,” she replied. When he crossed his arms in front of his chest, Sabrina took a deep breath. “To be honest, I really don’t know. It’s just … everything just feels too much right now. That whole situation with Nick, I don’t even know where to begin. I miss him, but at the same time, I’m scared of seeing him again because I have no idea what to say to him.” 

Ambrose looked at her, the way she seemed to try to make herself as small as possible in her seat. “So you haven’t talked to him yet.” It was a statement, not a question. 

“Just a few text messages, but it was all just stuff about the house, so … safe topics.” 

“You realize that you won’t be able to avoid that elephant in your living room forever, right?” He asked, watching her fold in on herself even more. 

“I know. Why do you think I’m so scared of seeing him again?” She bit her bottom lip. 

Ambrose reached over the table and grabbed her hand. “Is it really so bad that he loves you? And not just as a friend?” 

Sabrina opened her mouth to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat. The waitress brought their coffee orders and the blonde was thankful for the short break. 

When the waitress was gone again, Ambrose gave his cousin’s hand a comforting squeeze. “Sabrina, I’m sorry to say it like that, buy everyone and their dog could see that Nick has been in love with you for a long time. And cousin? I think it’s time you face the possibility that you might feel the same way about him.” 

“What? I … no …” she stammered. 

He shook his head with a small smile. “Did you or did you not hate his girlfriend?” 

“Because she was a horrible person and Nick deserves so much better,” Sabrina answered automatically. 

“That might be true, but you didn’t know how terrible she would be when you first complained to me about her.” 

She was quiet when she remembered that particular conversation. It had been a few days after that party where she had met Tom for the first time and had witnessed Nick and Julia flirting. Sabrina remembered telling Ambrose that this brunette had been all over Nick and touched him and … oh. Oh. 

“I was jealous,” she whispered, more to herself. 

“And let’s not forget about your senior year, cousin. You two were a lot more than friends, sneaking around like you did. Or rather, you thought you were sneaking around, but Sabrina? You were all but officially dating. You could barely keep your hands off each other, even when we were just sitting in the living room, watching a movie. You were always touching somehow and neither of you was subtle about it. And don’t even get me started on the heart eyes you made at each other. I seriously considered just locking the two of you in a room until you figured it out, but that wouldn’t have worked.” He watched as his words sank it while she avoided looking at him, instead staring at her hands. 

Sabrina bit her bottom lip so hard that she was afraid to draw blood. Ambrose was right, with every single thing that he said and she had no idea how to handle that fact. Suddenly, so many things appeared in a new, different light and … they just made sense when they hadn’t before. But the worst of all was that she had called Nick a liar the other night for not telling her how he felt – when she hadn’t just kept the truth from him but also ignored her own feelings and told herself a lie for just as long. “What am I going to do, Ambrose?” She looked at him, desperate for her cousin to have a solution for her. 

Ambrose took a sip from him coffee. “You talk to Nick.” 

“You make that sound so easy,” she said quietly. When had talking to Nick become hard, almost impossible? 

He shook his head. “I never said it was going to be easy.” His phone buzzed in his pocket and when he looked at the display, he saw a text message from the guy who was the topic of their conversation – green light to bring Sabrina back. “But if all goes well, and I’m sure it will, I’ll get to say ‘I told you so’ while you will probably be on cloud number 9 and ignore everyone around you.” At least that’s what he hoped. Any other outcome at this point would be catastrophic and Ambrose didn’t even want to think about that possibility. No. He chose to hope for the best, even if that meant that Sabrina and Nick would most likely be nausea-inducingly happy soon enough. They certainly deserved it. 

"I hope you’re right,” Sabrina mumbled, hiding behind her own coffee cup. She still had no idea what to say to Nick when she saw him again, the chaos in her head even less sorted than it had been before the realization of how blind she had been for years. 

“I am. Trust me, cousin.” Ambrose took another sip from his coffee. “Now, how about we empty those cups and go home? I’m sure you have a lot to think about.” 

She nodded. “Sounds good. And you’re right, there’s … a lot I need to sort out before I can talk to Nick.” 

He bit the inside of his cheek and hoped Sabrina would sort out her thoughts fast. 

**********

“What the …" Sabrina mumbled as she walked into her room. There were several ribbons spanning her room, pictures clipped to them. She stepped up to the closest one, her breath catching. It was the first picture ever taken of her and Nick at her birthday party in third grade – only a few weeks after he had moved to Greendale. She was dressed up in a ridiculously elaborate princess gown Hilda had made for her and he wore a mage’s robe, hanging slightly too big on his back then small frame and they were bopping for apples. 

The next picture was the one from their class trip in fourth grade that had ended in a sugar rush. Next to it another one from the same year of them and Roz, Theo and Harvey running around in the backyard, Ambrose chasing after them. Sabrina followed the ribbons, the pictures blurring as tears clouded her vision until they streamed down her cheeks freely as she followed the pictures of them throughout the years, watching her and Nick and sometimes their friends grow up from their childhood days through awkward teenage years to young adults. Their looks changed as they matured, but the one thing all of those pictures had in common was how close they had always been, drawn together from the very beginning. 

She had to press the back of her hand against her mouth to stifle a sob as she reached the pictures her aunt Hilda had taken of them before prom. Sabrina remembered Nick offering her his hand at the bottom of the staircase, but she had been caught up in the moment and hadn’t realized her aunt had taken pictures. With everything that happened after, she had never gotten around to look at the pictures, the emotions tied to that night first too raw and then they had moved and started college, leaving all of that behind. 

More recent pictures came into view from their college days and visits home during breaks. She spotted the one they took on her 20th birthday with Tom and Caroline, another one from Christmas break with their friends from Greendale, Ambrose and even Prudence, taken as they had fought a snowball fight in the mortuary’s backyard, girls vs boys. Prudence was straddling Ambrose, rendering him useless, and Sabrina was doubled over in laughter, not realizing that Nick was about to put a handful of snow down the back of her jacket. Her fingertips brushed over the picture, slightly trembling. 

Sabrina had been so focused on the pictures that she hadn’t heard Nick come in. He had watched as she had started to cry in earnest and wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, but he knew she wouldn’t allow it. Not with how things currently stood between them. He made his presence known by shutting the door quietly, but the sound still made her jump as she turned around. 

“Nick,” she whispered, furiously wiping at her cheeks. “What are you doing here? What’s all this?” When had he gotten here? She hadn’t heard a car pull up the driveway. Had she been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t noticed his car in the driveway when her and Ambrose got back? 

It stung that she didn’t want him to see her cry. With a few exceptions he didn’t want to think about, she had never tried to hide her emotions from him. “I’ve been here for a couple of hours, putting this together while Ambrose kept you out of the house. I asked him to, so please don’t be mad at him. I needed to prove something to you, Sabrina.” He stepped closer to a picture of their teenage years, all of them huddled around a campfire. It was their sophomore year of high school, back when he thought that playing football was a good idea. His team jacket was draped over Sabrina’s shoulders as she leaned forward with a mischievous grin, telling a campfire tale. 

“I realized that night that I wanted to be more than your friend,” he said, tapping against the picture, watching as her eyes grew wide. “That I wanted to kiss the cute cheerleader next to me in a setting that was not a game of truth or dare. But I didn’t know how to bring it up, I was terrified of scaring you away. Shortly after that, you started dating Harvey, so I kept my mouth shut.” 

“We were 15 in that picture,” Sabrina said quietly. “You were lying to me for almost eight years.” She felt new tears burn in her eyes. 

Nick shook his head. “I wasn’t lying, Sabrina. I never _pretended_ to be your friend.” It hurt to bring her accusation back to the table, but it was necessary. “I pushed my feelings aside, because you had a boyfriend and I would have never put you in that position. I wanted you in my life, in any way possible – and if that meant ignoring those other feelings and focusing on being your friend, well, that’s what I did. Then you and Harvey broke up, I moved here, and we started getting closer and those feelings I had buried deep inside resurfaced. At one point I thought that maybe, just maybe, it was our time. We both know how that ended. But, Sabrina, you must have realized that I had deeper feelings for you during that time. Especially after,” he paused, combing his hand through his hair, “especially after prom. After I asked you out, for God’s sake.” 

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but he held up his hand to silence her. “Please, let me finish. I need to say this.” Sabrina bit her bottom lip, but nodded. “College was a shit show. We managed to patch our friendship back up in a way I wasn’t sure we would be able to after high school. We were in a good place. And then were at each other’s throats and so close to destroying everything there was between us. We hurt each other in ways I never thought we were capable of.” Nick took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check as he saw fresh tears roll down her cheeks. Sabrina had wrapped her arms around her middle, seeking comfort that he knew she wouldn’t find. 

“I think that scared the shit out of both us enough to pull ourselves together … again. And I think that it brought us even closer together. We kind of came full circle when you helped me through my break-up with Julia. When we moved back here and you moved in with me, I didn’t even dare to think about us ever being more than friends anymore, even with that kiss on our last night in New Orleans. I had long since realized that I would always love you in a non-platonic way, but that was not what you wanted. And then last week we ended up in bed _again_ and I blurted out my deepest secret to the one person who was never supposed to know. Because I knew I was going to lose you if you ever found out. And look at us now.” Tears burned in his eyes. 

“I never lied to you, Sabrina,” Nick repeated, pointing at the pictures. “All of that was real. I have loved you for so many years as my best friend. That has never changed. The only problem was that I fell in love with you on top of that. I fell so deeply in love with you. And I think, deep down, you might have started feeling something similar, but simply chose not to see it because you were so afraid of us not working out. But I can’t do this anymore. This back and forth we’ve been doing for years … I can’t go on like this. I want you, Sabrina. All of you. I can’t deny my feelings anymore and I can’t be just your friend anymore. And if you won’t have me, then I need to walk away from this for good, for my own sake.” 

Sabrina stared at him, quiet sobs shaking her body as he spoke, so many different emotions washing over her at the same time that she thought she might buckle under their weight. But on top of it all was the realization that he was right. That she had chosen, albeit subconsciously, to be blind to what had been right in front of her for years. And to ignore her own emotions. 

She had ignored the way he made her feel when he kissed her in their senior year – feelings that neither Harvey before him nor Tom after him had been able to spark in her, not by a long shot. She had ignored her jealousy at seeing him with Julia, blamed it on her general dislike of the woman who was just using him and later hurt him. She had ignored how good, how right it had felt to kiss him again in New Orleans. She had ignored how his touch ignited her in a way nobody else ever managed to just a week ago, blaming it on the drinks afterwards, when she had been curled up in her bed, hugging her pillow close as she cried. Sabrina wiped her tears away again, her gaze landing on the picture Hilda had taken without them noticing. She now recognized the look on her own face for what it was: love. She had called Nick a liar when she had been the one lying for years. To herself and to him. The realization she had had earlier when she had been talking to Ambrose hit her again like a ton of bricks. 

That constant pull towards each other, the one that brought them back together even after their worst moments – Sabrina realized that it had not been the ties of their friendship that held them together. Those ties had definitely been severed at one point, but that other part, the love she had been willing into non-existence for so long, had brought them back together, had always pulled them into each other’s orbit, slowly, inevitably gravitating them closer together. 

“I think you're right, we can’t go on like this,” she whispered. 

Nick closed his eyes, nodding as he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. He had known that this was a possible outcome, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. Putting it all out there, playing that last card, it had been a risk, but a risk that had been necessary. Zelda had been wrong after all – it didn’t turn out okay. There was only one thing left to say. “I’ll get out of your hair, then. Goodbye, Sabrina.” He turned around, wanting to get out of her room and the house as fast as possible. He needed to get home, find something, anything, to dull the pain. 

“Wait.” She grabbed his hand, holding him back. “Please look at me,” Sabrina asked when he didn’t turn around. She watched him take a deep breath before he reluctantly turned around. “We can’t go on like this because I was the one who was lying. To myself and to you.” 

She let go of his hand and carefully unclipped the prom picture. “I know that you put those pictures up, but look at them. Look at this one.” She held it out to him, noting how her hand was slightly shaking. “Do you see that look on my face?” Sabrina bit her lip, but when he didn’t say anything, a sad smile appeared on her face. “You were right. I was so in love with you and I didn’t even realize it. Or was too scared to admit it to myself because it would have changed everything.” 

His eyes snapped up at that. 

“Since we’re putting it all out there – when I came back from New York, I was going to talk to you, take you up on that date if you still wanted to do that,” Sabrina confessed. 

Nick frowned. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He had walked away from her then. Why hadn’t she stopped him? 

“Why didn’t you?” She answered, then shook her head. “You seemed so sure that ending what we were doing was the right thing. I … I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I thought I was too late, that you had changed your mind. I was afraid of getting hurt.” 

“As if ending that didn’t hurt like hell,” he muttered. 

**“** I never said that my thought process made any sense,” Sabrina replied. “I called you a liar when I was the one who closed my eyes to what was right in front of me. I called you a liar when it was me who ignored that you make me feel things nobody else ever could. And I had the audacity to call you a liar when I was so angry at you and jealous of your girlfriend that I deliberately started dating guys I knew you hated just to spite you.” Another fact she hadn’t admitted to herself for a long time. 

His brow furrowed at the last part. “What?” 

She sighed. “Why do you think I dated Caliban, because of his charming personality? I was so angry at you for always picking Julia’s side that I felt the stupid need to get back at you. You were with someone I didn’t like, so I did the same. All because I wouldn’t admit to myself how I really felt about you. It was easier to be angry and lash out than to be honest with myself.” 

Nick took a deep breath, unsure why to say. If they had talked to each other, they could have spared each other so much pain. It was mind-boggling how stupid both of them had been. 

“I think Tom knew. I think he knew that what I felt for you was a lot more than friendship, even if he never said anything,” Sabrina said, a small, sad smile on her face. She saw it clearly now, even if she hadn’t back then. “God, even Ambrose saw it when he tried to push us together and went about it as subtly as a bull in a china shop.” 

“Your cousin saw a lot more than he should have,” Nick answered. “He called me out on being in love with you at that surprise party in the backyard for your 18th birthday.” 

Sabrina thought back to that birthday and couldn’t stop herself from seeking out the picture of that night. They were sitting on a bench, his arm around her shoulders and her leaning into his embrace, a serene smile on his face as she kissed his cheek. “I remember that I saw you talking and you looked way too serious,” she said. “I wish I hadn’t been so stupid. I … God, I wish I had seen thing clearer sooner. I wish I had admitted to myself sooner that I was in love with you. I’m so sorry, Nick.” 

They looked at each other, the quiet sound of the sweep hand of the clock on the wall ticking away filling the room. After what felt like an eternity, Nick took the prom picture she was still holding and clipped it back into place before taking her hand, idly playing with her fingers. “Where are we going to go from here? What am I going to do with you, Spellman?” 

Sabrina looked at him, a tiny, tentative smile on her face. “You could kiss me. If you still want me and all of my stupid denial.” 

He tugged her closer. “Do you still not realize that I’ll always want you?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer, closing the distance. There was nothing gentle about the kiss, years of pent-up emotions surfacing. Nick let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against him as she buried a hand in his hair, holding onto his shoulder with the other for support as her knees turned into jello at the intensity of their kiss and the emotions flooding her system. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Sabrina.” It felt incredibly liberating to finally be able to say it. 

“I love you, Nick,” she answered, followed by a soft kiss. It was new and strange to say it, but it also felt _so_ _right_. 

They stood in the middle of her childhood bedroom for a while, wrapped up in each other as they exchanged kisses, not letting go. After a while, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead after catching a glimpse of the clock. “I should probably go, it’s getting late.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “You should stay here tonight.” 

“And then what?” 

She smiled. “And then you could take a trip down memory lane with your girlfriend.” She nodded towards the pictures, trying to distract him from the label she had just used, hoping that she wasn’t rushing ahead too fast, now that she wasn’t in denial anymore. But she needed Nick to know that she was 100 percent on board with this, even if it had taken her incredibly long. Judging from the brilliant smile on his face, the kind that made the corners of his eyes crinkle slightly, he had heard what she was really saying. 

“There’s nothing I want to do more,” Nick said. 

“Just one thing first,” she said, stepping out of his embrace. She immediately felt cold without his arms around her. 

When Sabrina locked the door, he raised an eyebrow. “What exactly do you have planned?” 

She grinned. “Nothing indecent. But you know my family. I don’t want any of them barging in here tomorrow morning without knocking.” She hung his jacket, that she had pushed off his shoulders and thrown on her bed earlier while they kissed, on the door knob before stepping back up to Nick, happy when he pulled her back into his arms as they studied the pictures together, retracing the steps that had brought them to where they were now. 

When they crawled under the covers later, they fell asleep with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, soft smiles on their faces as they both finally felt at peace. 


	19. The One That I Belong To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> First of all, thank you so much for all the love the last chapter got <3 I'm happy you liked it!
> 
> This update comes a little early because ... well, I guess after part 4, we all can use a dose of mind-numbing fluff right about now. 
> 
> So if you're looking for something 100% angst free, you found the right place.
> 
> Let me know what you think!

_I've been looking for you, baby_   
_In every face that I've ever known_   
_And there is something 'bout the way you love me_   
_That finally feels like home_

_ (Adele – Sweetest Devotion) _

The next morning, Sabrina was woken up by fingertips gently caressing her back. She buried herself closer into the embrace that was keeping her warm, unwilling to open her eyes yet. A content hum left her lips when she felt a kiss on her forehead.

“You awake, Spellman?” Nick asked, his voice low as not to wake her if he was wrong.

She  nodded, her movement sluggish. “More or less,” she mumbled. Another kiss to the crown of her head made her smile. The hand that lay on his chest as she had slept searched for his free one and she tangled their fingers together. They lay in silence for a while, simply soaking up the peace and quiet of the morning and being with each other.

“Last night wasn’t a dream,” he finally broke the silence.

Sabrina lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest. “That depends, I guess,” she answered. “What do you mean?”

The hand on her back pulled her a bit closer. “I mean that you’re my girlfriend. That you’re finally mine,” he leaned down and pressed a short kiss to her lips to prove his point.

She grinned at him. “And you’re mine. Not a dream,” Sabrina confirmed. She let go of his hand and moved a bit higher so she was almost at eye level with him. “But I didn’t really have a choice last night. I mean … how could things have possibly turned out any other way after that speech?” She kissed him again, this one more soundly than the last.

Nick shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. “I was always yours. And what can I say? I love you, Sabrina.” The bright smile on her face made his heart swell.

“I love you, too, Nick,” she replied and leaned in for another kiss, but stopped when she heard shuffling on the other side of the door.

_ “Ambrose, what are you doing?”  _ Hilda hissed, trying and failing to be quiet.

_ “I’m trying to see if they killed each other or got their act together last night, _ " he answered.

_ “By looking through the keyhole?” _

_ “It’s not like I can just walk in. I tried  _ _ earlier, _ _ the door is locked.” _ There was a level of frustration in his voice that made Sabrina bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud.

“Should we tell them that we can hear them?” Nick quietly asked, grinning as well.

She shook her head. “Let’s wait for a moment.”

_ “Damn it, I can’t see a thing, there must be something blocking the keyhole,”  _ Ambrose swore. Sabrina silenced Nick’s laughter with a kiss.

_ “We should just leave it alone, Ambrose, we’ll know soon enough how things turned out. You don’t even know if Nicholas is still in there with her, maybe Sabrina just locked the door because she wanted to be alone, it wouldn’t be the first time in the last couple of days,” _ Hilda reasoned.

Nick searched her face, frowning. She had locked herself in her room? Sabrina pressed her lips to his forehead, meaning to ease the lines. “Doesn’t matter, everything’s okay now. More than,” she whispered. Nick’s arm around her tightened all the same.

_ “I think we would have seen him leave last night, auntie. And his car is still in the drive way.  _ _ So, _ _ they either made up or killed each other,”  _ Ambrose insisted. 

More shuffling came from the other side of the door, then: “ _ Ambrose! You are not going to pick that lock!” _

Sabrina raised her eyebrows at that, blinking. She didn’t even know that her cousin could do that, but it sure explained a lot. Like how he had known about things like her first crush – things she had written in her diary that had an actual lock on it in middle school.

Nick chuckled. “Do you still want to wait?” His voice rumbled low in his chest and she could feel the vibration under her fingertips.

An impish grin slowly spread over her face. “I have an idea,” she whispered, quickly kissing him. “Follow my lead.”

His own eyebrow rose. However, she didn’t give him time to ponder what she might be up to.

“Oh God, right there,” She moaned loudly, her eyes sparkling. He bit down hard on his lower lip to stop himself from bursting into laughter. “Just like that!” She added for good measure.

When he was sure that he would be able to keep his voice straight, he responded. “You feel so good, Sabrina, please, I need to-” She cut him off with a quick kiss, shaking with quiet laughter against his lips. The other side of the door had grown quiet.

“Nick, please, don’t stop.” Sabrina was sure her cheeks would start cramping soon, but this was more than worth it.

_ “We really need to leave, Ambrose,”  _ Hilda started, her voice a bit higher than normal – a sure sign that she was uncomfortable with what she just heard.

_ “But this is just getting interesting!”  _ He protested.  _ "Auntie! Ow! Let go of my ear!” _ They weren’t exactly quiet as Hilda dragged him away from Sabrina’s door.

When she was sure that they were out of earshot, she finally started laughing, burying her face in Nick’s chest. He couldn’t contain his own laughter anymore, either, and held her close until they calmed down somewhat.

“I’m not going to lie, I feel a bit bad for Hilda,” he finally said, still chuckling. 

Sabrina looked at him, the way the corners of his eyes were still crinkled from his smile. “I do, too,” she admitted, scrunching up her nose and smiling widely when Nick placed a soft kiss on its tip. “But Ambrose totally deserved that for wanting to pick the lock.”

“He’s going to try and retaliate once he knows that we were messing with him,” Nick said.

She shrugged. “Let him. I don’t care.”

Nick shook his head, still smiling before he kissed her again. Sabrina brought her hand to his cheek, her thumb gently caressing his cheekbone. They stayed in bed for a few more minutes, exchanging lazy kisses, before they forced themselves to get up and dressed and join the rest of the Spellmans for breakfast. 

Sabrina grabbed Nick’s hand as they walked down the stairs, entangling their fingers. He brought their joined hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of hers, earning a brilliant smile. She stopped before they got too close to the kitchen. “Ready for this?”

He kissed her, short and sweet and full of meaning. “More than ready,” he mumbled against her lips before pulling away. 

She took a deep breath. “Well, here goes nothing.” Sabrina held onto Nick’s hand as they walked into the kitchen, Zelda hidden behind her newspaper and Hilda bustling around in front of the stove, making scrambled eggs. 

“Good morning,” She made their presence known.

Ambrose looked at them with his eyebrow raised. “You’re here already? I’m so sorry, cousin, that was quick.”

“Ambrose!” Hilda hissed, scandalized at his blunt statement.

Zelda lowered her newspaper, unimpressed by the disturbance of her Sunday morning reading. She sent a withering look her nephew’s way, but he just popped a scrap of bacon in his mouth, a satisfied grin on his face.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Funny, really. You know what else would have been fun? Jumping on that old bed if aunt Hilda hadn’t dragged you away. All that squeaking would have really added to the atmosphere, don’t you think?”

Nick couldn’t help but laugh at the image and pressed a loving kiss to her temple.

“Hang on, you were faking it?” Ambrose asked, his eyebrows raised. 

“ Of course it was fake, Ambrose,” she confirmed, shaking her head. “You were so loud outside my door; the opportunity was too good to pass up, so we gave you exactly what you wanted to hear. And by the way: You should really work on your whispering.”

He looked at Nick, whose gaze was still on Sabrina, a smile on his face. “And you helped her? Some friend you are. I have three words for you, Scratch: Et tu, Brute?”

The younger man shrugged. “What can I say? My girlfriend asked me to follow her lead, so I did.”

Hilda put down the wooden spoon she had used to push the scrambled eggs on a plate and looked at them with an almost giddy smile. “So you two are …?” When Sabrina nodded in confirmation, her younger aunt rushed over with a squeal and pulled them into a hug. “Finally! Oh, I’m so happy for you two!”

Ambrose shook his head with a fond smile. “Calm down, auntie, it’s not like they announced that they’re getting married.” Hilda shot him a look over her shoulder. “I’m happy for you, of course, but it’s not like you could have had this since high school or anything. Or that everyone was waiting for you to get your shit together for years. I suggested a betting pool, but the aunts stopped me.”

Before Sabrina could answer, Zelda huffed, her newspaper momentarily forgotten. “Please, Ambrose. They would have overwhelmed each other in high school, it wouldn’t have lasted. And Hilda, for God’s sake, let them go.” 

Hilda rolled her eyes at the pair in front of her when she released them and watched with a smile as Nick wrapped his arm around her niece, pulling her into his side. She had always known that they belonged together, they had just taken a few detours first.

Zelda watched as well, taking in the happiness radiating off of Sabrina. Thinking of how confused, even heartbroken she had been when she arrived at the mortuary a week earlier, she was glad to see her niece like this. And Nicholas, too. Considering his upbringing, he deserved all the happiness in the world as well. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe that he was the same young man she had talked sense into only a few days ago. Zelda had to agree with her sister, though: She was glad they finally found their way into each other’s arms. It was well past time.

She looked at Nick. “Welcome to the Spellman family, Nicholas.” There was no doubt in her mind that those two wouldn’t let go of each other again. 

Nick had to swallow the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat at the words. When he had lived with them, back in their senior year, the Spellmans had certainly made him feel like he was part of the family. But to actually hear the words was a completely different story. “Thank you,” he said, struggling to get the words out.

Sabrina put her hand on his chest and looked at him, her brow slightly furrowed, a questioning look on her face. He pecked her lips in response, the lines on her forehead easing at the gesture. 

“Are you two going to be all lovey-dovey from now on? Please tell me now so I can start putting rum in my coffee,” Ambrose asked.

Zelda’s gaze landed on her nephew. “You’re a Spellman, you don’t need an excuse to drink.” With that, she picked up her newspaper again, vanishing behind the Greendale Gazette once more.

“Well, sit down, let’s have some breakfast,” Hilda ushered them to the table.

The rest of breakfast had been pretty uneventful, the conversation quickly switching to town gossip. Sabrina and Nick decided it was time for them to go home after that and Nick was waiting for her in the entrance area of the mortuary. She had run upstairs to grab her bag of clothes and the pictures, telling him she’d be down in a minute.

Ambrose came up to him and put his arm around Nick’s shoulder. “ So, you finally managed to make my cousin see that  you’re boyfriend material.”

Nick chuckled. “Looks like it. Thanks again for getting her out of the house yesterday.”

The older man shook his head. “I wanted to see Sabrina happy. And Scratch? I’m pretty sure you are the only guy who can truly accomplish that.”

Nick looked at the stairs, where she had vanished a few moments ago. “I hope I can.”

“You love her, that’s a good start.” His hand on Nick’s shoulder tightened. “However, I need to say something else.” Ambrose followed his gaze. “Sabrina might be my cousin officially, but she’s always been my little sister to me. If you make her cry anything other than happy tears from now on, I’m going to hunt you down and they won’t find a body.”

Nick nodded. He was well aware that Sabrina and Ambrose had a bond that was more akin to siblings. “If I do that, I’ll come to you willingly.”

Before Ambrose could answer, Sabrina’s voice rang through the mortuary. _ “Nick, can you come up here and help me? Packing up the pictures is taking longer than I thought.” _

Ambrose clapped him on the back. “You heard her. Don’t keep your  _ girlfriend  _ waiting.” 

Nick smiled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He took the stairs two at a time.

When he reached Sabrina’s old room, she was standing on her tiptoes and tried to reach the beginning of one of the ribbons. Nick wrapped his arm around her waist and reached up, grabbing it for her.

She turned around and grinned as she took the ribbon from him. Nick pulled her in for a long, deep kiss that left her breathless, her eyes only slowly fluttering open and a slightly dazed expression on her face when Nick pulled away. 

“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” Sabrina breathed.

“I love you,” was his simple response. 

She kissed him again, this one short and sweet. “I love you, too.” She forced herself to step out of his embrace. “Now, help me pack these up safely before Salem gets his paws on the ribbons? I want to go home.”

**********

_Throw me up against the wall_   
_There's nothing that could scare me now_   
_Don't apologize, I'm never leaving_

_ (Valerie Broussard – Deeper) _

When they got back to the house, Nick closed the door behind them and put Sabrina’s bag, the one she had pulled from her closet and blindly shoved clothes into when she had more or less fled the place, on the floor. He grabbed her hand instead and gave it a gentle squeeze, pulling her in front of him.

“Welcome home, Spellman.” 

Sabrina looked up at him through her lashes.

“It’s good to be back.”

The small smile on his face, the way his eyes shone with happiness pulled her in. Nick met her halfway in what was supposed to be a gentle kiss, but the moment their lips met, the energy between them shifted. Sabrina let go of his hand and buried one hand in his dark curls to pull him closer while the other rested on his shoulder. Nick wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Their hands started to travel soon enough and Sabrina pushed his jacket off his shoulders, the heavy leather hitting the floor. Nick broke the kiss long enough to pull her sweater over her head, letting it join his jacket, before crashing his lips into hers again. Sabrina pushed up the hem of his t-shirt and he did the same with hers, desperate to feel the soft skin underneath. He trembled under her touch when her fingertips ghosted over his stomach.

She pulled back, her eyes never leaving his as she pulled her shirt off, trying and failing to catch her breath as she carelessly dropped the fabric. Nick followed, his shirt already forgotten next to hers when he closed the distance between them again, tangling a hand in her hair and wrapping his arm around her again as he pushed her up against the wall next to the door, cushioning the impact. She gasped against his lips.

“Sorry,” he mumbled into the kiss.

“I’m good,” her response was muffled by his lips. 

His hands drifted lower and his lips left hers, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck to her collarbone. When his hands reached her thighs, Nick lifted her up, his lips still fused to her skin as she wrapped her legs around his waist on instinct as she was trapped between him and the wall. Her head was thrown back when his lips drifted lower, one hand buried in his hair again while searching for purchase with the other, arching into his kisses and soft nips that drew gasps and little moans from her lips that only seemed to spur him on further. Her fingernails left small crescent shaped imprints on his shoulder.

“Nick,” Sabrina breathed, her eyes closed as his lips moved up again and found that spot below her ear that was especially sensitive. He hummed against her skin in response, sending a shockwave through her. “Bedroom … now ... please.” She had a hard time  stringing words together. 

He pulled back enough to look at her. Her lips were swollen from the force of their kisses, her pupils blown wide, her hair a mess as he held her up against the wall. Nick pressed a short, gentle kiss to her lips. “Are you sure?” He asked.

She nodded, a small smile on her face. “So sure. If you don’t take me upstairs right now, I’m going to implode,” she warned, nipping on his lips with another teasing kiss. 

“Hold on, then,” he said, taking a step back from the wall. 

Sabrina wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can walk, you know?”

Nick kissed her again, the need to feel her lips overwhelming. “I know,” he simply stated while turning around and walking towards the stairs. He paused after the first few steps when her lips found his neck. “Let’s get up the stairs first, okay? You doing that right now is dangerous.” 

She grinned and kissed the tip of his nose. “Fine. But hurry.” She didn’t have to tell him twice.

When they later lay wrapped in each other’s arms, the world could have come crashing down around them, they wouldn’t have noticed. Nick had never been happier than right how: Sabrina was in his arms, their legs tangled together, her head on his chest as she placed small kisses wherever she could reach without moving. And she was his girlfriend. Officially. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops for all of Greendale to hear.

Sabrina cuddled closer into his embrace, pressing a kiss over his heart as she soaked up the moment, basking in the warmth of their little cocoon. She never wanted this moment to end. “So … that felt different,” she said, continuing to press little kisses against his skin.

“Good different?” He asked.

“Definitely good different,” she confirmed. “More intimate, I guess,” she added, thinking about whispered “ _ I love you” _ s against each other’s skin. “More intense, too. Like a massive thunderstorm that has been a long time coming.” When she looked at him, she saw a satisfied smirk on his lips, his eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“You’re very welcome for that,” he said, laughing when she smacked his chest.

“Nick! Seriously, how old are you again?” Sabrina kissed the spot she had hit.

He pulled her up and placed a long, gentle kiss on her lips. “Sorry. But I know what you mean. I guess that was because we weren’t holding back anymore. No more hidden or denied feelings, trying to stay in control not to say the wrong thing. We could just … feel.”

A gentle smiled tugged on her lips. Despite his smart-ass comments, her boyfriend had a romantic heart. Her boyfriend. She liked the thought. No. “I love you,” Sabrina said, her words followed by a soft kiss. She made a promise to herself to tell him every day from now on. He deserved to hear that he was loved more than anyone. 

“I love you, too,” Nick answered, bringing her in for another kiss. When he pulled back, his gaze landed on his wardrobe. He looked at the woman in his arms. “Just to make sure … you’re not going to run away again, are you?”

“Funny, really,” she deadpanned and rolled her eyes. In retrospect, she realized just how many times she had run from him – it was ridiculous. 

“Hey, I just want to know what to expect,” Nick replied with an innocent  look on his face. Too innocent. 

“You’re not getting rid of me anymore, Nick,” she warned him, “you know how I get when I dig my heels in. Consider them very much dug in about all of this.” Sabrina kissed him to emphasize her words. 

“Well, if that’s the case, move your things in here?” He nodded towards the wardrobe at her questioning look.

“We’re not even together for a full day and you’re asking me to move in with you?” She asked, a grin on her face.

“I don’t like the thought of not spending every single night with you in my arms from now on. Might as well take the next logical step right now,” he argued his case.

Sabrina considered the wardrobe, then looked back at him. The hopeful expression on his face nearly did her in. “We’re going to need a bigger wardrobe, that one is not going to hold both our things.” 

His answering smile lit up the entire room. “We’ll get one tomorrow.”

**********

A week later, Sabrina had excused herself for a moment from her birthday party in the dining room of the mortuary when her phone rang, Caroline facetiming her. After a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ that had sent Salem running by her, Elliot and Tom, they started chatting, Sabrina quickly forgetting the time as she sat on the staircase, talking to the friends that hadn’t been able to make it. Salem had come back a few minutes later, now curled up in a tight black ball on the stairs next to her. He was going to move to their house the next week, something that was long overdue. 

That’s how Nick found  her, phone pointed at her face as she laughed about something he hadn’t picked up. “Sabrina?” he asked, trying to get her attention. When she looked up, he continued. “Hilda is ready to bring out the cake, but we’re kind of lacking the birthday girl.”

“Is that Scratch?” Tom asked.

Sabrina got up and walked over to him. “Sure is,” she confirmed as Nick wrapped his arm around her once she reached him. 

“Hey guys, sorry to cut this short,” he apologized.

“Don’t worry about it,” Caroline answered, “but I want a picture of that cake!”

Sabrina laughed. “You’ll get your picture.” She had told them earlier how Hilda had spent basically an entire day on the thing.

“I’ll take a video for you when she blows out the candles,” Nick offered with a smile.

“Perfect,” Caroline said, giving him a thumbs up. 

Nick laughed and looked at Sabrina. “I’ll tell them you’ll be right there?”

She nodded and smiled at him. “Thank you.” Sabrina didn’t even think about it when she followed her words up with a quick peck on the lips.

“Uhm, hello?” Caroline asked, her eyebrows nearly meeting her hairline. “I think you two forgot to mention something.” There hadn’t been a single peep about this development in their group chat.

“I’m going back inside,” Nick excused himself, laughing when Sabrina shot him a look.

“Coward,” she mumbled before looking at her screen again. “I know we didn’t say anything yet, sorry. But in our defense, it only happened a week ago and we were really busy, so …” She shrugged, unsure what else to say. The past week had been a blur they had spent in their own little world as much as possible, getting and putting up a new wardrobe, moving her things into what was now their bedroom, work and birthday preparations. What time they had left was usually spent cuddling on the couch, although that usually sooner rather than later turned into making out now.

“Well, it was about damn time,” Elliot threw in, “no offense, Tom.”

“None taken. To be honest, I’ve been waiting for this to happen since we broke up, princess,” Tom said with a small smile. He had noticed them getting closer before they moved back home, but not said anything because he didn’t want to make things weird. 

“Sabrina, could you please put your phone away and come back?” Zelda stood in the doorway, her arms crossed in front of her chest and tapping her foot.

“Sorry, aunt Zee, I’ll be right there,” Sabrina replied, ducking her head slightly. She might be 23 years old now, but she still didn’t want to be on the receiving end of her aunt Zelda’s ire. 

“Don’t think this conversation is over,” Caroline threw in, “we’ll talk about this when there aren’t any people waiting for you and Nick can’t run away, I have a bone to pick with him as well.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she answered with a smile.

“But for the record: I’m happy for you, obviously. But I want details!”

“You’ll get them,” Sabrina promised. At the impatient look on her aunt’s face, she quickly added: “I have to go. Thank you for calling, I’ll talk to you soon!” After a chorus of goodbyes, she ended the call. “Sorry auntie. Now, Nick said something about cake?”

A while later, Sabrina unwrapped her birthday presents, Nick sitting next to her, his arm draped over the back of her chair and his fingertips grazing her shoulder every so often. The wrapping paper got dumped on the floor where Salem was already having a field day ripping it into tiny little pieces – thanks to Ambrose, who kept trying to steal the sheets from Salem, who in turn held onto it with his claws for dear life. Zelda shot her nephew an annoyed look, but didn’t say anything, instead focusing on Sabrina as she unwrapped her gift.

“Auntie, it’s beautiful! Thank you so much!” Sabrina said, looking slightly in awe at the dress her aunt had given her. The little black dress would probably reach mid-thigh and had a skirt that would flare out if she twirled in it while the top would cling to her body, she had no doubt about that, the golden embroidery sparkling as it caught the light. Nick was eyeing the dress as well and from the look on his face, he approved, too. She put the dress down and hugged her aunt tightly.

“Now our gift is going to look bland,” Theo complained, making everyone laugh. 

Roz handed over a box filled with tiny movie posters and Sabrina furrowed her brow. “Uhm … a little help?”

“Look underneath,” Robin advised with a smile. 

When Sabrina dug deeper, she found an envelope, marked Fright Club 2.0 in big bold letters that she recognized as Harvey’s art style. She opened it and found a card with 12 empty fields, courtesy of the Paramount.

“Since you’re finally back home, we’re going to bring the Fright Club back,” Roz explained. “And that right there is your entry ticket to the monthly horror double features for the next year.”

Sabrina smiled brightly and hugged her friends. “This is amazing, thank you!” 

After unpacking the earrings Ambrose had gotten her when he had kept her out of the house the week before and new book bag from Hilda and Cee for work, Nick sat up a little. “I guess all that’s left is my gift.” He handed her a small box and kissed her, right there in front of her family and their friends and it made his skin tingle with happiness to be able to do so. “Happy birthday, Spellman.”

“Thank you,” she answered with a smile before carefully unwrapping the gift. When she opened the box, she found a miniature airplane, a tiny saxophone and a little voodoo doll inside, sitting on top of a gift card. “You’re giving me plane tickets to New Orleans?”

Nick grinned. “In theory we could go anywhere you want since I didn’t get the real tickets yet, we have to find a date first, after all. But I was thinking it would be nice to go back on vacation next summer. We could meet up with our friends … and go back to that psychic and give her the biggest tip in history.”

Sabrina threw head back in laughter. “We are definitely going back to New Orleans next summer,” she answered before kissing Nick soundly, ignoring Ambrose’s and Theo’s catcalling. “This is perfect, I can’t wait for that vacation. Thank you, Nick.”

“What was that about a psychic, love?” Hilda asked.

“Remember when you couldn’t come down to New Orleans for my 20 th birthday?” Sabrina asked, leaning back into Nick’s side as he shifted his chair a little closer to hers. “It got me in a funk and I was perfectly happy to spend my birthday on the couch, eating my body weight in ice cream and watching horror movies instead of going out.”

“Now that’s just sad,” Theo commented.

“Thank you,” Nick jumped in, ignoring the way Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I thought the same thing, so I dragged her out of the apartment for dinner at least, hoping her mood would improve.”

“It did,” Sabrina confirmed, “and after dinner we decided to hit the streets and see if we could find something actually creepy. We left Bourbon Street and found this little voodoo shop. And the … well, I guess she was the owner? Anyway, she gave me a card reading for free, claiming it was a birthday gift, although neither of us mentioned that it was my birthday.” She looked at Nick with a raised eyebrow.

“I swear, I wasn’t there before,” he answered, holding up his free hand while the other gently squeezed her shoulder.

“Long story short,” Sabrina continued, “She told me I had already met the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with, but that I had to let him help me overcome some obstacles first. That I only needed to allow it and to open my eyes.” She looked at Nick with a soft smile.

“She couldn’t have been more spot on if she tried,” he ended the little trip down memory lane and leaned in to kiss her. “I’m not letting go of you again, Spellman,” he said quietly.

“You better not,” she answered and pecked his lips again before taking a deep breath. “Anyway, that was our trip to the psychic. After that, we ended up in a bar with Caroline and Tom because that had been their plan all along. It had never been about just getting dinner,” Sabrina concluded. 

“Okay, that is creepy accurate,” Roz answered, her eyebrows raised.

Ambrose laughed. “You think? I don’t think she needed to be much of a psychic to see that those two,” he waved at Sabrina and Nick, “would end up together at some point. I wouldn’t make the tip too big, Scratch, you two have always been way too obvious.”

When the party was over, Sabrina sat curled up on one side of the couch, Ambrose in an armchair next to her, keeping her company. Nick had insisted that she should sit down and relax while he helped the aunts clean up because it was her birthday, despite her heavy protest. Ambrose had – selflessly – volunteered to keep her on the couch. At first they had talked about the party, her gifts, possible dates for her vacation next summer and what movies were already announced for the double features. After a while, he decided to approach a much more important topic, though.

“Since we’re on our own: how are you doing, cousin? Looking at you today and last week, the difference couldn’t be bigger if you tried,” he said with a small smile. For the last week, she had been practically glowing every time he saw her, a smile permanently etched on her face. He thought even the curls in her hair bounced a bit more.

“I’m good, Ambrose. Really good. The last week has been …" Sabrina paused for a moment, trying to find the right word, but then shook her head. “I don’t even know where to start.” Every morning, she had woken up in Nick’s arms with a smile on her face and it had quickly become a sort of ritual between them to wake the other one up with a kiss. 

“So, you’re happy?” Ambrose asked, already knowing the answer. It was written all over her face.

“Incredibly happy,” she confirmed. “Being with Nick … it’s so different. It’s hard to explain, but it’s almost like the second we got together, this calm feeling settled over me. Like I am where I’m supposed to be?” Sabrina bit her bottom lip, trying to find a way to explain herself better. “You know that feeling when you come back home after a long vacation or even just a really stressful day? And then you walk in the front door and you just feel like you can finally breathe and everything’s okay and you are right where you belong? That’s us. He’s my home, Ambrose.”

Ambrose leaned over with a smile and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad, cousin.” He recalled what he had told her the week before in that little café and he was happy that he had been right. And while he might have made fun of them for being off in their own little world during the few instances he had seen them over the week, he was also happy about the fact that he had been right about that, too. 

“And I didn’t have a chance to say it yet, but thank you. Last week … that talk we had really helped me to see things clearer. But not just for last week. I know you were sometimes caught in the middle in the past and you always tried to help, even if it didn’t yield the results you were hoping for. So, thank you, Ambrose,” Sabrina said with a smile.

He shook his head. “Sabrina, I told you, anyone could see that you two loved each other, I just wanted to end your mutual suffering. That didn’t work out as intended back then, but I had to try, especially after Nick confessed that he loved you. I had hoped you’d realize you felt the same after you got over your breakup with Harvey, but that obviously didn’t happen. I’m glad it did now, because you two have always been at your best when you were together.”

She nodded. “I know and looking back I can’t believe how stupid I was and how many times I pushed Nick away. I love him so much, Ambrose, it’s ridiculous. And I promised myself that I’m going to tell him every day for the rest of my life because he deserves to hear those words. He hasn’t heard them enough in the past, not even close.”

Ambrose sighed. “Blackwood wasn’t exactly the loving kind. And from what I heard, neither was his ex.”

Sabrina grimaced. “Can we not talk about Gina?” As her cousin laughed about her messing up the name, she shrugged. “She doesn’t deserve to be called by her real name after what she did to Nick.”

“It worked out for you in the end, though.”

“True, but it still meant seeing Nick hurt and that’s the last thing I want to see. They were together for so long and she didn’t say the words even once, Ambrose. Nick deserves better. He deserves to hear that he is loved so much and I’m going to make sure he does. And that this knowledge really sinks in, because I sometimes think he has a hard time accepting that people really care about him in general, and I blame Blackwood for that. But not on my watch. He’ll hear that I love him every day,” she grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it close to her chest, resting her chin on top of it.

Nick had been about to walk into the living room when Sabrina spoke and had stopped outside, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t entirely wrong – he sometimes struggled with accepting that affection as a fact. He swallowed the lump in his throat and went into the room with a small smile on his face. “I love you, too, Spellman,” he said.

“Which one?” Ambrose quipped.

“The one I’m sharing the bed with, sorry, man,” Nick answered, chuckling as he sat down and pulled Sabrina into his side. 

“You heard that, hm?” she asked, putting the pillow down and wrapping her arms around him instead.

He nodded and kissed her forehead. “I did,” Nick confirmed.

Sabrina felt the need to explain. “Nick, I-” she started, but he cut her off with a gentle, drawn-out kiss and rested his forehead against hers afterwards, both wearing matching smiles.

Ambrose shook his head with a smile of his own. It really was a miracle how long they had managed not to see what was between them. But at least they got to be together now and seeing them like this, again off in their own happy little world, was contagious. Both of them deserved to be happy.

“Ready to go home?” Nick asked quietly.

She leaned in and pecked his lips again. “Take me home, Nick.” 

He got up and took her hand, pulling her to her feet as well. Sabrina leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist, letting the excitement of the day slowly flow away and make room for the content, bone-deep exhaustion that crept up on her.

“You’ll stop by tomorrow for lunch, though, won’t you, loves?” Hilda said, announcing her presence. “There’s so much food left from the party, I also already packed some for you to pop in the freezer.”

“That’s because you cooked for an army, auntie,” Sabrina answered with a smile.

“But we’ll obviously be there for lunch,” Nick added. Knowing they wouldn’t have to fend for themselves gave them more time to sleep, something both of them desperately needed after the week they had had. He still wouldn’t change it for anything.

Later, when they had arrived at home and taken care of the food Hilda had sent with them, Nick pulled Sabrina into his arms. She snuggled into his embrace, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

“How does 23 feel?” he asked quietly.

She brushed her lips over his neck, only the ghost of a kiss. “Like it’s going to be the best year yet.”

Nick was about to say something when his phone vibrated in the pocket of his jeans. “What now?” he mumbled, grumbling as he grabbed the offending piece of technology. He raised an eyebrow as he saw the message on the lock screen.

**Ambrose [1:32 AM]**   
_Thought you might want these._

“What is it?” Sabrina asked.

“Ambrose sent me something,” he answered, opening the message that included several files and held up the phone so Sabrina could see the screen as well. The first thing they saw was a video of Sabrina opening his gift earlier, but there were also a few pictures attached that made Nick smile. The first was before the party had even started, Sabrina leaning back against him, his arms around her as she assessed the decorations in the parlor. The next was of them dancing, her hair still flying as Nick had twirled her, both smiling at each other. Another picture showed them kissing, the next Sabrina leaning into his side with a soft smile as she listened to Theo while Nick’s arm was draped over her shoulders and he kissed her temple.

“See? 23 was off to a pretty great start,” Sabrina said before pulling him in for a kiss. “We should send that video to Caroline tomorrow. Maybe it will get her off our case when she hears that we’ll visit next summer,” she added with a smile.

“You don’t really believe that, do you?”

She scrunched up her nose. “Not really. But that’s for tomorrow to worry about. Our bed is calling me right now, I’m exhausted.” The yawn she couldn’t hold back anymore emphasized her words.

“Then let’s get you to bed,” Nick agreed, unable to keep the smile off his face as she referred to the bed as  _ theirs _ .


	20. You're My Only One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> Since I miscalculated updates basically by one chapter, you're getting Christmas content in January - please bear with me ^^
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading and commenting - reading your thoughts on this means a lot, so please let me know what you think about this one?
> 
> I hope you have fun!

_Oh, you're the best friend that I ever had_  
_I've been with you such a long time_  
_You're my sunshine_  
_And I want you to know_  
_That my feelings are true_  
_I really love you_  
_Oh, you're my best friend_

_(Queen - You're My Best Friend)_

Nicholas Scratch was happy. There was no other word to describe his current state as he walked over Greendale’s Christmas market, Sabrina tucked into his side with his arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist, both bundled up in coats and scarfs to ward off the cool temperatures. He looked at her, smiling at the excited glint in her eyes as she looked around, her cheeks slightly reddened from the cold. 

They were currently looking for some more decorations for their home - or rather, Sabrina was. Nick was content to let her pick as long as he could hold her while she did. 

“Oh, that’s cute!” She pointed at a set of small polar bears in Santa hats. 

He grinned when he spotted them. “You think so?”

Sabrina looked up at him. “You don’t?”

„I think you’re cute,” he said without missing a beat, laughing when she playfully rolled her eyes. 

„You think you’re so smooth,” she grumbled, unable to keep the smile off her face. 

He leaned in and pecked her lips, feeling her smile widening as he did. „And you’re not disagreeing,” Nick said, kissing the tip of her nose for good measure. “But you’re right, the bears are cute. Think Salem would let them live?” They had finally brought him over to their house a few days after they had become a couple. The cat had taken a bit to grow accustomed to his new surroundings, but by now he walked around like he owned the place. 

“Oh, definitely. Think about all the decorations aunt Hilda has around the house, Salem has never destroyed any of those.” Except for the over-the-top figurine of the Virgin Mary that Blackwood has gotten Zelda back when that had been a thing, but Sabrina and Ambrose had both made sure to play with Salem long enough for it to be gone beyond repair, so it really wasn’t his fault. Zelda hadn’t been amused, but also not exactly mad that the hideous thing had gotten destroyed. 

They bought the bears and kept going through the stalls once they were secured in her bag, getting some more small items for their window sills as well as for the Christmas tree – the first one they’d get because they hadn’t bothered with one in their apartment. Sabrina was in her element and Nick just hung back and watched as she picked things for their house. He might have bought it for himself when they moved back to Greendale, but it was really theirs and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Okay, I think that’s enough shopping for today,” Sabrina declared as she carefully put some cinnamon scented candles in her bag, making sure not to crush the tree ornaments she had bought a few stalls over. 

“Got everything you wanted?” 

She shrugged. “For the moment.”

“Then ... how would you feel about ice skating?” Nick had spotted the temporary rink earlier and since it wasn’t too busy at the moment, he figured that he might have a chance to lure her there. 

Sabrina crinkled her nose. “I don’t know. I haven’t done that in years. Not since ...”

Nick pulled her closer. “Not since the big  ice skating incident, I remember. I was there.” Some guys had been racing around the rink and not seen her, one of them smashing into her. She had twisted her ankle as she fell and needed to use crutches for weeks after. He had been too far away to catch her, but had helped her off the ice and stayed with her while Theo had gotten her aunts. Sabrina hadn’t been on skates since. “I won’t let you fall, I promise. I’ll always be close to catch you if you stumble. So, what do you think?”

Sabrina bit her bottom lip, mulling over his words. “I think,” she started, fully turning towards him and grabbing the lapels of his coat to pull him closer, “that you better hold me tight so I don’t fall in the first place.”

Nick grinned and pulled her flush against him, making her smile. “Your wish is my command,” he said before sealing his promise with a kiss. They pulled away when they heard someone clear their throat, smiling sheepishly at the older woman who looked at them with disapproval for their public display of affection, shaking her head as she walked on. 

Sabrina leaned her forehead against his shoulder as she laughed. „You’re getting us into trouble, Scratch.”

He pressed his lips against her temple. „I’ll face any kind of trouble if it means I can keep kissing you.”

Sabrina lifted her head and rolled her eyes. „So cheesy.” She nodded towards the rink. „Alright, let’s go ice skating.”

True to his word, Nick always kept his arm around her, holding her steady as they were slowly gliding over the ice. A while later, he had boxed her in with his arms against the boards, kissing her. Someone had bumped into them by accident, but Nick had managed to keep them on their feet. He hadn’t been able to resist the urge to kiss Sabrina with the way she looked at him after that. They kept the kiss innocent enough, keeping their surroundings in mind, but it still made her want more. 

“I think we should go home,” Sabrina mumbled against his lips. 

He pulled back with a smile. “I thought you wanted to grab some hot chocolate after this.”

“We have hot chocolate at home, I got it when I went grocery shopping this week,” she said. 

Nick pecked her lips again. “We both know that hot chocolate will be the last thing on our minds if we go home now.”

Sabrina looked up at him through her lashes. “And would that really be so bad?” Ambrose had joked that they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship when they had been over at the mortuary for dinner a few nights ago and he had caught them making out in the hallway. She had to admit that her cousin wasn’t entirely wrong. 

He considered her for a moment, then decided: “Let’s get you home,  Spellman .”

They returned the skates and Nick grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together as they walked through the stalls back to his car. They had almost made it out of the market area when Theo, Robin, Roz and Harvey suddenly stood in front of them. 

“Hey guys,” Theo said, “didn’t think I’d see you here.” 

They had originally declined the group invitation and had wanted to spend the weekend holed up at home before deciding to go out after all for some necessary Christmas shopping. “Yeah, sorry I didn’t say anything. It was a pretty impromptu trip,” Sabrina explained. Now she felt bad for not telling the others that they would be going. 

“Sabrina decided we lacked in the decorations department since we have more room now,” Nick added, gently squeezing her hand.

“Which I only realized when I started decorating the house.” She nodded at her bag. “This is really just the tip of the shopping iceberg. The list of things we still need to get is probably longer than my arm.”

Roz laughed at the hurried explanation. “Slow down,  Brina , no harm done. And I hope you didn’t really think that the decorations you had for your living room in New Orleans would be enough for the entire house now.”

Sabrina shrugged. “I guess I hadn’t really thought about it. And we’re not even just talking general decorations, we had nothing to put on a tree until earlier, and I just got a few really nice handmade ornaments. We still have no lights, no baubles … the list goes on.”

“Oh, do you want to go with a color scheme or mix it out?”  Roz wanted to know, mentally already making a list of stores they could go to.

Nick looked at Harvey, Theo and Robin. “Help?” he asked, making them laugh.

“Hey!” Sabrina gently elbowed him. “You knew what you were getting yourself into.”

He kissed her temple. “I know, babe.” 

“Well, since we caught you sneaking around behind our backs,” Theo started, “do you want to grab something to drink with us before you head back home?”

“When you put it like that, how could we possibly say no?” Sabrina joked. 

“Please don’t,” Harvey threw in, “or we’ll hear about it for the rest of the day.”

“How about some mulled wine?” Robin suggested, nodding in the general direction of the booth.

When everyone agreed, the group strolled across the Christmas market with Sabrina, Roz and Robin grabbing one of the small tables  while Nick, Harvey and Theo went to get the drinks. 

Sabrina frowned when Harvey and Theo returned without her boyfriend. “Where’s Nick?”

“He got dragged away by his uncle,” Harvey explained. 

“Not physically dragged away,” Theo quickly added when Sabrina raised an eyebrow. “Blackwood approached us and asked Nick to talk in private.”

“Well, he didn’t really ask, it was more of a demand,” Harvey disagreed. “They went to the side of the booth I think.”

“Fantastic,” Sabrina said with a sigh. Their day had gone great so far – of course something like this had to happen. To say that Blackwood wasn’t happy about their relationship would be an understatement. When he had heard about it through town gossip, he had called Nick at home. After a few heated sentences, he had hung up and blocked the number, but it still had taken her a while to calm him down. All she could do now was hope that Blackwood didn’t get to Nick again. 

“I’ll rescue him,” she told her friends and started in the direction of the booth. Quickly enough, Sabrina spotted the two men and saw that Nick was speaking, his arms crossed in front of his chest. And was he actually smirking? She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his uncle looked positively scandalized at the words, the look etching deeper into his features as she approved. “Hello Mr. Blackwood,” she greeted him with a forced smile. “Nick, the others are complaining about their drinks getting cold.” A little white lie to get him away from his uncle wouldn’t hurt anyone. 

“We shouldn’t keep them waiting,” Nick agreed as he stepped away from his uncle, his arm automatically wrapping around Sabrina’s middle. He pulled her a little closer when the older man’s eyes narrowed.

“We really shouldn’t. Did you order already, honey?” she asked, making sure that Blackwood heard the pet name neither of them usually used. But she didn’t want to give him anything real. 

“Well, don’t let me keep you. We’ll speak again, Nicholas. Sabrina,” he added her name through gritted teeth as he hurried away and Sabrina noticed his ears were bright red. He also hadn’t been able to look at her directly.

“What did you say to him? I thought his eyes were going to fall out of their sockets when I walked up to you,” she asked, looking at Nick with a raised eyebrow.

He grinned and leaned in to peck her lips. “Not important. It got him off my back quicker, that’s all you need to know.”

“He couldn’t even look at me, Nick,” Sabrina stated.

“Did you want him to?” 

The smirk on his face made her roll her eyes, but she was glad he was still in a good mood, despite running into the man who had tried his best to make Nick’s youth miserable. “Funny.”

“I thought so. Now let’s grab those drinks, otherwise the others will have a reason to actually start complaining.” Besides, he still wanted to get her home, even if their plans had gotten slightly derailed.

**********

Christmas morning at the Spellman Mortuary began quiet enough. Nick was still fast asleep when Sabrina woke up and wondered what he was dreaming about when she noticed the small smile on his lips. She could hear Hilda rummaging around loudly in the kitchen, no doubt preparing a feast instead of breakfast. Soon enough, they would have to get up and face her family, but Sabrina wasn’t ready for that yet. She stretched and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, smiling when she felt his arm around her waist tighten. 

“Morning, babe,” he mumbled against her lips. 

“Good morning,” Sabrina said before deepening the kiss, his hum of agreement vibrating in his chest. When she pulled away, he had a satisfied, but still sleepy smile on his face. “And Merry Christmas,” she added, followed by another short, sweet kiss. It had been two months now since he had strung up all those pictures in her old bedroom, but she still couldn’t get enough of him. She highly doubted she ever would.

His hand lazily drifted over her side. “Merry Christmas, indeed,” Nick answered, looking up at her. He sometimes still had a hard time believing that she was actually his. That after everything and all those years, she was finally in his arms. He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled her down for another kiss, unable and unwilling to stop himself. They had been doing that a lot over the last few weeks, trying to make up for lost time. When they parted, they had matching smiles on their faces. 

“So ... what did you dream about, do you remember? You looked happy,” Sabrina asked, gently brushing her fingertips over his lips. 

He regarded her for a while, lovingly tucking a strand of her moon-colored curls behind her ear. The smile on Nick’s face widened when she turned her head and kissed his palm. He used her momentary distraction and their tangled legs to flip them over, making her laugh. He would never grow tired of that sound. 

“I was dreaming about you,” he started, kissing her forehead, “and me,” a kiss to her left cheek, “in our home,” another kiss to her right cheek, her skin firm from grinning. “You were curled up next to me on the couch and we watched our kids play with their Christmas presents,” he continued, his eyes never leaving hers. 

Sabrina brushed a wayward curl from his forehead. That line of thought would have sent her running before, but the idea of having that life with Nick ... “That sounds perfect.” She buried her hand in his dark curls that where adorably sticking up in different directions, and pulled him down for a sound kiss. 

Her words sent a shiver down his spine. For a second, he had been afraid that the confession of his dream might be too much, too soon, but apparently that had been unfounded. Nick deepened the kiss, his free hand starting to wander. It had just slipped under the top of her soft pajamas, bright red flannel that was covered with reindeers, when the door flew open. 

“Good morning, lovebirds, breakfast is ready,” Ambrose sang, sporting a shit-eating grin. He chuckled when he saw Nick trying to pull away, but Sabrina brought him right back in for another kiss. “Cousin, let the man breathe,” he tried, outright laughing when she blindly grabbed a pillow and threw it in the general direction of the door, not even close to hitting him. “Fine, but don’t blame me when all the waffles are gone by the time you two are done devouring each other.” He left, his laughter bouncing through the hallway when Sabrina called after him to close the door again.

“We should have slept at home, it’s not exactly a long drive to come here,” Nick mumbled against the soft skin on her neck, enjoying the way she arched into his touch.

“I wanted to do that, you let aunt Hilda guilt you into us staying  ov \- Nick!” Sabrina yelped when he scraped his teeth over her skin. “Don’t start something we can’t finish,” she warned him, her eyes closed as her hands ran over his bare back. She was glad that he had decided to forego the shirt he had initially packed.

“Who says we won’t be able to finish this?” He slowly started to push up the top of her pajamas.

She sighed at the feeling of his fingertips brushing over her skin. “The open door to this bedroom for one,” Sabrina started, biting her bottom lip when Nick’s hand wandered higher. “Plus, the next person barging in will probably be aunt Hilda and do you really want to give her an eyeful?”

Nick groaned and dropped his forehead to her clavicle, his eyes closed as she combed a hand through his hair, her fingernails gently scraping his scalp in a way that did nothing to calm him down. “Just because I don’t want to scar the person feeding us today,” he muttered, unable to stop a smile from spreading on his face as she laughed. 

“I hate to say it, but we should probably get up. Who knows what Ambrose and Prudence will do to our waffles otherwise,” she said. When Nick didn’t move, she smiled and gently pushed at his shoulder. “Come on, Scratch.”

He rolled to his back with a groan. “Fine. But just for the record, I’m not happy about this development.”

Sabrina laughed as she got out of bed and grabbed her robe. “I’ll make it up to you when we’re home,” she promised as she tied the robe around her waist. “Now put on a shirt and let’s go downstairs.” When she heard her Hilda tell Ambrose in no uncertain terms to stay put, she shook her head, picturing her aunt threatening her cousin with a wooden spoon – it certainly wouldn’t be the first time, even if it had always remained empty threats. “We might want to hurry up, or we’ll miss aunt Hilda’s annual speech that Ambrose better behave or he won’t get his presents,” she threw over her shoulder as she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Nick laughed and after a few more moments finally rolled out of bed. He had witnessed that speech a few times and missing it would be a shame. He grabbed the shirt he had decided against for the night and his own robe and followed Sabrina to the bathroom, kissing her temple and smiling at her in the mirror before grabbing his own toothbrush.

Breakfast was a loud affair with everyone chatting once the coffee fully kicked in and also thanks to Sabrina and Ambrose bickering over the last of Hilda’s homemade chocolate spread. The younger aunt resolved their fight by handing the bowl to  Cee , resulting in both cousins pouting. While Prudence rolled her eyes at their behavior and Zelda called them out for acting like children, Nick just grinned and soaked up every second of it, the feeling of being a part of this family. 

Once everyone was done and had their coffee mugs refilled, they migrated to the living room where the space underneath the tree was packed with gifts, chaos ensuing when people started looking for their presents. Sabrina and Nick quickly grabbed theirs and moved to a quiet corner, letting the others fight it out. They had agreed not to go big on the gifts this year, considering the money that had gone into the house. So instead, Sabrina had decided to go down the nostalgic road.

“Merry Christmas,” she said as she handed her gift to Nick, smiling against his lips as he kissed her. 

His brow furrowed as he opened the wrapping paper, mindful not to tear up the golden sheet covered in candy canes, and saw that it was an old school book. However, his eyes grew wide as a thought hit him. “Sabrina, is that …?”

“The first book we shared when you moved to Greendale and joined our class in third grade,” she confirmed with a smile. 

Nick pulled her close and kissed her again before opening the book. Sure enough, there were both their names in their childhood scrawl, stating them both as owners. “I can’t believe you kept this,” he mumbled, brushing over their names with his fingertips.

“Of course I kept it. I fought hard until our teacher agreed to us co-owning the book because Blackwood didn’t manage to buy you your own. It was a hard-earned victory, but more importantly, it was also the first thing connecting us.” Sabrina smiled at him. “This book right here is kind of how we started, Nick.”

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and kissed her, long and insistent. Nick didn’t care if her family saw them, his emotions getting the better of him. The memory of Sabrina insisting that he should write his name in her book as well, making it officially their book, came flooding back, the tiny blonde girl arguing her case with their teacher, unafraid to speak up on his behalf. After the kiss, Nick rested his forehead against hers. “You have no idea how much I love you, Sabrina  Spellman ,” he said quietly. 

Instead of answering, she kissed him again, just an innocent brush of her lips against his. When she pulled away, Nick cleared his throat and grabbed his gift for her. It only now dawned on him that they had had the same idea. “Merry Christmas.”

With a smile, Sabrina peeled away the intricate bow that screamed Hilda’s name, sure that her aunt had helped with wrapping the present. Her breath caught when she pulled away the paper and looked at the DVD in her hands.  _ The Nightmare Before Christmas _ . “Nick …"

“The first movie we ever saw together,” he said with a small smile. It had been only a few weeks after he had moved to Greendale, Sabrina and him already thick as thieves and her birthday rapidly approaching. She had been shocked when he said that he hadn’t seen the movie and talked Zelda into letting them watch the movie when they were done with their homework. The movie had always held a special place in his heart and was irrevocably connected to Sabrina. “And this is the DVD we bought together with our pocket money when your old VHS copy didn’t work anymore.”

She laughed at that, remembering how proud they had been when they returned to the mortuary with the DVD after their trip to the store. It had been July and so hot that Ambrose refused to move even a finger if he didn’t have to, but that didn’t keep them from putting the DVD on the second they could. Although they had bought the DVD together, Sabrina had insisted that Nick should keep it and it had been one of his most prized possessions ever since. He had been close to a panic attack when he hadn’t been able to find it when he moved to the mortuary, the thought of having lost this copy of what he considered their movie nearly killing him. His relief when the DVD finally turned up again had known no bounds, his first action afterwards checking the inside of the plastic box. He had breathed another sigh of relief when he saw the “This DVD belongs to” sticker they had put inside, their names underneath each other just like in the book.

“I love you so much, Nick,” she said, kissing him with the same enthusiasm he had shown earlier. “But are you sure? I know how much this means to you,” she added quietly.

He smiled and kissed her again. “I’m sure,” he reassured her. “Like the book you gave me, this movie is a symbol of the connection that has been between us for so long now. I want you to have it, Sabrina.”

“It’s not mine now,” she argued with a smile and shook her head. “It’s ours. Always has been. How it’s supposed to be.”

They looked up when they heard a sniffle and saw Hilda furiously wiping at her eyes,  Cee gently rubbing her back with a soft smile.

“Auntie, are you okay?” Sabrina asked, the sudden worry clear in her voice.

Hilda waved the question away. “I’m fine. But you two, I swear …" she sniffled again.

Nick chuckled and drew Sabrina into his side again, his arm wrapped tightly around her as she leaned against him.

“You two are so cheesy it hurts, so I’m going to make my coffee Irish now,” Ambrose declared, moving towards the liquor cabinet.

“I remember that book thing, didn’t you get detention for that, Sabrina?” Prudence asked, holding her mug in her boyfriend’s direction in a silent request to which he wordlessly complied.

Sabrina shrugged with a grin. “I did, apparently I talked back one too many times. Totally worth it, though.”

“My troublemaker,” Nick mumbled quietly enough so only she could hear him as he kissed her cheek.

“And I remember you insisting to watch that movie every year twice, once before your birthday and then again before Christmas,” Zelda threw in. “I thought you’d get sick of it sooner or later, but it never happened.”

“I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,” Nick answered with a smile. They still watched that movie twice a year, curled up on the couch together with a cup of hot chocolate, just like they had when they watched it together for the first time.

**********

Sabrina paced in front of the window that allowed her to see their driveway, checking her phone every so often. Where were they?

Nick watched his girlfriend huff in frustration and laughed. “ Spellman , come over here and sit down. You’re making Salem nervous.”

She turned and looked at her cat. Salem had taken up the armchair closest to the fireplace and was currently spread out belly-up across the seat. She looked at Nick with her eyebrow raised and he shrugged with a grin. 

“I swear, his tail was twitching just now.”

“Right, of course.” With a sigh, she went over to the couch and plopped down next to Nick, nestling into his side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago.”

“Maybe they got stuck in traffic or at some red lights,” he answered and kissed her forehead.

“Probably. I just want them to get here,” Sabrina muttered.

Nick leaned in and kissed her, unable to resist the little pout on her face. When he felt her smiling against his lips, he pulled away. “You just want to gang up on Elliot and me with Caroline.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile was still firmly in place. “You got me there, that’s totally the plan over the next few days,” she said and stole another kiss, unable to stop the soft sigh when Nick deepened it and pulled her closer.

The horn of a car in their driveway made them jump apart. “I wonder who that could be,” he muttered, but Sabrina was already on her feet, hurrying towards the front door. Shaking his head with a smile on his face he followed her, the smile widening when he saw her bouncing on her heels in the front door as their friends got out of the car. 

Caroline ran up to the door and wrapped Sabrina in a tight hug, both women laughing happily. “God, I have missed you so much, Sabrina.”

“I missed you too, video calls are just not the same,” Sabrina answered. “How was your flight? We really could have picked you up, you didn’t need to rent a car.”

“ Spellman , let them come inside first,” Nick said, unable to hide his amusement. She had been a bundle of pent-up energy from the moment she opened her eyes that morning. “Hey Caroline.”

The redhead let go of Sabrina and hugged Nick just as tightly. “Hey Nick. Ugh. I missed you, too. A little bit.”

He laughed as he hugged her back. “I missed you, too. A little bit.”

Meanwhile, Elliot had grabbed their bags from the car and walked up to the door as well. “Thanks for the help,” he joked before putting the bags on the ground to greet Sabrina with a hug.

“Excuse me for being excited to see one of my best friends again,” Caroline answered, rolling her eyes with a smile.

“Nick has a point, though, come in,” Sabrina said, stepping aside to let their friends in. They would be staying in Greendale for a week and she couldn’t be happier. While she gave Caroline and Elliot a tour of the house and got them settled in the guest room, Nick took care of their drinks and had them ready and on the coffee table in their living room by the time they arrived.

“Okay, Sabrina, sorry to say this, but I think I’ll have to steal your boyfriend because this place is amazing,” Caroline informed her as she looked around the room they had previously skipped, “and your cat,” she added when her gaze landed on Salem, who by now was curled up in the armchair. 

“Hands off of my boys,” Sabrina warned her with a grin as she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Nick’s waist.

He laughed and kissed her temple as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to bring her closer, his heart swelling at her words. “Your boys, huh?” he asked with a smirk.

She leaned into him and kissed him, unable to resist the look on his face. “And don’t you forget it.”

“Not a chance, babe,” he responded and pulled her into his lap as he sat down in the corner of their L-shaped sofa, his arm wrapped around her waist as she leaned into him. 

“You two are disgusting,” Caroline stated and shook her head as she sat down as well. 

“As if you expected anything else,” Elliot said, settling next to her and wrapping his arm around her. “You say that once a week when you and Sabrina  facetime .”

“Still true,” she answered with a shrug and brushed a strand of her long red hair behind her ear.

Sabrina sat up straight. “Caroline? What is that on your hand?”

Her friend looked at her innocently and held her hand up, the ring catching the light from the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. “Oh, you mean this thing?” She turned into Elliot’s embrace. “Well, I guess Elliot lost his mind at some point because he asked me to marry him on Christmas Eve.”

“And why am I only hearing about this now?” Sabrina demanded to know.

Caroline’s innocent look shifted into a grin. “Consider it payback for not telling us about you two,” she responded, pointing at the couple in front of her. 

The blonde rolled her eyes but jumped up a second later to hug her friend. “This is amazing, congratulations!” She pulled Elliot into a hug as well. “You better make her happy or I’m coming after you,” Sabrina threatened, laughing when he snorted. 

“I’ll keep that in mind, but you don’t have to worry, that’s the plan.”

Once Nick had congratulated them as well and they had settled again, Nick pulling Sabrina into his lap again and wrapping his arms around her with a smirk just to see Caroline roll her eyes at them, Sabrina asked: “Do you have a date picked already?”

Caroline shook her head. “Not exactly. But it will be next summer, so maybe hold on with booking your flights for that vacation, you might want to plan that around the wedding so you don’t have to fly down twice.”

“It’s not like we’d mind making two trips, right?” Sabrina turned her head to look at Nick.

“Of course not,” he answered and pecked her lips.

“Right, I forgot you don’t have to worry about these things,” Caroline said. “Any expensive jewelry from under the Christmas tree you want to show off, Sabrina?”

Nick sighed at the obvious dig. Once he had started getting over his break-up, which in hindsight had happened way too late and the healing process had been almost comically short, their friends had started to tease him about how many expensive gifts Julia had managed to guilt or at least talk him into. Sabrina had initially tried to stop them, but when she realized that he wasn’t hurt, only slightly mortified about the whole thing, she had started to join in, even if she was less vicious than the others.

Sabrina chuckled and nestled closer into Nick’s embrace. “We decided to play Christmas small this year. So much went into the house … it just felt right.” She looked at the cabinet where the DVD and the book were propped up next to each and smiled. “We went the nostalgic way instead.”

Nick pressed a kiss to her shoulder through her sweater. “Best present ever,” he added, smiling when she leaned further into him.

“I’ll say it again: you two are disgusting and nauseating,” Caroline repeated her earlier verdict, but couldn’t stop herself from laughing when Sabrina stuck out her tongue in response. “But I’m happy for you. This has been long overdue.”

“You have no idea how long,” Nick threw in, grinning when Sabrina nudged him with her elbow. “Don’t say it’s not true.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not. But anyway,” she looked at their friends, “any plans what you want to do while you’re here?”

“I want to visit that crazy house you grew up in and the full tour,” Caroline immediately said. “I have heard so many things about that place, I need to see it.”

“We can do that,” Sabrina agreed, “but the morgue might be off limits, depending if there’s a body down there.”

“I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you grew up in a house with dead bodies in it all the time.” Elliot shook his head. “How that didn’t cause any lasting damage, I’ll never understand.”

“Who says it didn’t?” she quipped. “I blame my love for everything macabre on that.”

“You’re probably not wrong,” Nick agreed. Looking at Elliot and Caroline, he added: “She dragged us into every horror movie that played in the cinema the second we were old enough.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Don’t act like you didn’t come willingly, Scratch.”

He laughed. “I did. But your boyfriend back then? Completely different story. Watching Harvey nearly jump out of his skin every couple of minutes was almost more fun than the movies themselves.”

“Anyway,” Sabrina directed at their friends, “anything else? The mortuary tour won’t exactly fill a week.”

“I was thinking about driving to Salem – and no, I don’t mean your cat,” Caroline answered when the other woman opened her mouth. “It’s not that far, right?”

“Close enough for a day trip,” Nick confirmed, remembering the field trip they took there in their junior year of high school.

“Perfect. What do you think, want to tag along?”

After a quick wordless conversation with her boyfriend, Sabrina nodded. “Sounds good. But maybe we could ask  Roz if she wants to come, too? I know that she wanted to go again and take her time to check out everything.” At Caroline’s questioning look, she added: “We went there on a school trip in our junior year, but everything was pretty rushed since we were on a schedule. Add to that stupid classmates who didn’t show respect and …"

“Got it. Sure, ask her. Or anyone else from your friends here who might be interested. The more, the merrier,” Caroline agreed. “I’d also like a tour around Greendale. You talked about this town so much, I need to see those places.”

“Sure. We’ll give you a tour and take a break at  Cee’s for burgers and milkshakes.” Sabrina grinned at Nick. “We might lose this one though when he gets sucked into the book section again.” She laughed when he pinched her side. “And maybe we can check what’s on at the Paramount and go for a movie in the evening? Nick, stop it!” She swatted at his hand with a giggle when he didn’t stop his prodding.

“Do they even still let you in there? I’d think they kicked you out by now. You’re that annoying couple making out through the entire movie,” Elliot threw in.

Nick laughed at that. “I wish.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes and pinched him in return, making him grin wider. “Going to the Paramount is a very serious endeavor, thank you very much.”

“Be there early enough to catch the previews or face Sabrina’s wrath. It’s been a lesson everyone learned at some point over the course of high school,” Nick explained. 

“I’m not that bad!” she tried to defend herself.

He snorted. “Right. And I didn’t get a 30-minute lecture after a double feature because I was five minutes late in junior year.”

Sabrina turned to Caroline and Elliot. “Okay, so we’re going to the Paramount without Nick, should we check the screening times?”

**********

The next day, they had woken up to big snowflakes tumbling to the ground and several inches of fresh powdery snow already on the ground. When Nick went out to clear the driveway and sidewalk  for the third time that day in the early afternoon, Elliot offered to go outside and help, giving Sabrina and Caroline the chance to catch up while they did the same. 

The women sat in the living room, Salem curled up in Sabrina’s lap and purring as if his life depended on it while she gave him head  scritches , a coffee mug in her free hand. 

“Okay, I can now definitely see why you worked at the shelter. I’m surprised you didn’t just take a cat home back New Orleans,” Caroline said, nodding at Salem.

“I tried, believe me. But Nick has that annoying habit of being right and talked me out of it, so the closest I got was fostering,” the blonde answered, switching to Salem’s chin. 

Caroline snorted. “What did he say?”

“That Salem wouldn’t like to share the attention once we moved back here.” The black cat meowed as if to confirm her words, making both women laugh. “Speaking of, Ambrose mentioned that he’ll stop by later. If you think Salem hogs my attention, wait until my cousin gets here. They bonded while I was gone and I lost my cat to his bromance with my cousin.”

“Do I detect some jealousy?”

“Hell, yes!”

As she laughed, Caroline looked around the living room again. She recognized the movie posters that had made their way from New Orleans to Greendale, but a frame with several pictures caught her attention. She got up to take a closer look. “Wait, is that … no. No way. That’s not Nick, is it?” 

Sabrina took a sip from her coffee, hiding her smile. “It is. That first picture is us in third grade.” They had gotten a big frame and picked out some of the photos Nick had put on the ribbons in her room. “Nick had moved to Greendale a few weeks before that was taken on my birthday.”

“You were babies when you met,” the redheaded woman stated, looking at the pictures of her friends in different stages of their lives. “And how the hell were you not dating in high school?” She exclaimed when she saw their prom picture.

“That was complicated,” was all Sabrina said. “And it’s water under the bridge. We found our way to each other in the end.”

Caroline came back to the sofa and resumed her earlier spot. “Right. I still need some more details on how that happened. You were pretty cryptic after your birthday.”

She sighed. “That was complicated, too.”

“So? I’m here and I have all the time in the world. The guys are outside, so spill.” 

“No judgement.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, how long have we known each other? You know I’m going to judge.”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Fine. Remember that call two weeks before my birthday, when I told you about that movie night with the drinking game?” When Caroline nodded, Sabrina took a deep breath. “Nick and I hooked up that night.”

Her friend started coughing, the sip she had just taken from the coffee having gone down the wrong pipe. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me. And that complicated history didn’t exactly help things. Anyway, Nick told me that night that he’s been in love with me since high school and … I basically ran away. I didn’t know how to deal any of that. I stayed at the mortuary for a week when Ambrose finally dragged me out of my room.” A small smile crept on her face. “He helped me realize some things I had chosen not to see for years and that really helped, because when we got back, Nick had put up all of these pictures and had prepared this long speech I told you about. You know the rest.”

“I can’t believe it. You were always so adamant that there was never ever anything more than friendship between the two of you and then you just hook up with the guy when you’re smashed,” Caroline said, shaking her head. 

Sabrina shook her head. “It wasn’t like that. We … we were tipsy, but not completely trashed. We knew what we were doing. And we didn’t ‘just hook up’,” she replied, using air quotes. “It wasn’t that easy. We … well, I guess we almost dated in high school, but I ran away then, too. Add to that everything that happened in New Orleans, including that kiss I told you about, and we were really sitting on a powder keg, all things considered. There were a lot of tears involved until we got where we are now. You were there for some of them when I camped on your couch.”

Wishing for something stronger than coffee, Caroline asked: “Why did you run from him in high school?”

“The thought of dating Nick terrified me,” Sabrina answered. “He had been my best friend for almost ten years at that point and I had dated a friend before and it ended badly. Things were awkward for a long time with Harvey and the idea of the same thing happening to Nick and me sent me running because it would have been so much worse to lose him like that.” 

“And you’re not afraid of that anymore?”

She shook her head with a smile. “I’m not. He helped me see that there was nothing to be afraid of. I’ve never been as happy as I’ve been in the last two months. We’re it, Caroline. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with that man.” The front door opened, Nick’s and Elliot’s voices filtering in. “Speak of the devil.” She buried her hand in Salem’s black fur when he stretched in her lap. 

A few moments later, both men entered the living room and Sabrina chuckled when she saw their flushed cheeks. “There’s coffee for you in the kitchen,” she told them. 

“Thanks, babe,” Nick answered and leaned in to kiss her.

Sabrina quickly pulled back, her nose scrunched up. “Grab that coffee, Scratch, you’re ice cold.”

“Sabrina’s right, get some coffee and warm up. I don’t feel like kissing an icicle,” Caroline agreed, followed by an indignant squeal when Elliot rubbed his nose against hers.

Nick grinned at their exchange. “How about this, coffee first and then we put the fireplace to use?”

“Sounds perfect,” Sabrina answered.

“Oh, and Ambrose texted, he’ll stay for dinner.”

She raised her eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Hilda is sending a lasagna over with him, so good luck trying to kick him out,” Nick explained.

Sabrina shook her head about her aunt. “Fine, one great dinner and one inappropriate dinner guest coming up, I guess.”

He laughed at that. “You love your cousin and how inappropriate he can be.”

She shrugged with a grin. “Only when it’s not directed at us. And now go grab that coffee to warm up, I don’t want you to get sick.” 

“Alright, alright, I’m going,” he conceded and left, but not without kissing her again.

“Disgusting,” Caroline observed again with a smile. “Deserved, after what you told me, but still disgusting.”

**********

New Year’s Eve saw the  Scratch-Spellman house packed with people. In addition to Caroline and Elliot, they had invited over the Fright Club, Ambrose and Prudence, who had insisted on including Dorcas, who in turn had Melvin tagging along. Agatha had already made plans with the girl she was currently dating, but refusing to call her girlfriend, but according to Prudence, they might stop by later. Sabrina had tried to convince  Roz to bring her new boyfriend, a guy named Danny she had met in one of her classes, but she had declined – she didn’t want to throw him in at the deep end with so many people at once. 

Theo and Robin had brought a karaoke machine that at the moment was still more or less ignored as some were engrossed in a conversation while others, namely Ambrose, Nick, Caroline and Theo, had decided to play parcheesi and take a shot every time a piece was kicked off the board. A small crowd had gathered around the table, erupting in laughter as Caroline gleefully used one of her red pieces to send one of Nick’s green ones back to the nest.

“Gotcha, Scratch!” she cackled and pushed a shot glass his way. “Drink up!”

Sabrina stood next to him and watched as he dutifully downed the shot before shaking his head and laughed. “What are you even drinking?” she asked, looking for the bottle.

“Tequila, of course,” Ambrose answered, pushing the bottle into her field of view.

She snorted. “Tequila shots. What could possibly go wrong after those.” 

“Oh, live a little, cousin,” he admonished with a grin. 

Nick reached for her and pushed his chair back a little before pulling Sabrina into his lap, who quickly wrapped her arm around his shoulders just to be safe. From the look on his face, she guessed it wasn’t his first shot, either. 

“Hi, babe,” he said and planted a kiss on her cheek, making her laugh.

“Someone’s happy,” she noted as she ruffled his hair a little. “How many of those have you had?”

“You mean this round?” Theo asked with a grin.

Sabrina looked at her friend. “Wait, how many rounds have you guys played?” She had been talking to Elliot and Robin for a while in the living room before the uproar at the table had finally spiked her curiosity enough to see what was going on in the dining room.

“This is only the second round, but your boyfriend sucks at parcheesi,” Caroline answered. 

The blonde watched a wide smile bloom on his face at the title and she chuckled. “Maybe you should let someone else play after this round, Nick,” she suggested. If he kept going like that, she was afraid that he’d be completely out of it by midnight. 

“We were going to stop after this round anyway. Can’t have one of our hosts so drunk he won’t be able to watch the ball drop.” Theo rolled and laughed as he managed to send one of Ambrose’s pieces back to the nest. “Your turn, drink!”

Sabrina stayed with them until the end of the round, taking a few shots for Nick so he wouldn’t end up completely drunk hours before midnight. Caroline had been right, though – he really did suck at the game, there was no way to mince words. 

Once the game was wrapped up, everyone moved to the living room again where Theo and Robin quickly set up the karaoke machine. Things had escalated pretty quickly after that, people fighting over the microphone. Nick had stood behind Sabrina, his arms wrapped tightly around her as he kept nuzzling her neck, making her giggle despite her demand to stop. 

When his hands began to wander, Sabrina swatted at them, deciding that she needed to get some coffee into him soon to hopefully sober him up a little. While she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the fact that tipsy Nick got cuddly and at some point handsy when they were on their own, there were far too many people around. She cheered and whooped at  Roz’s rendition of  _ I love Rock ‘N Roll _ and almost cried with laughter when Melvin hilariously revived  _ I’m Too Sexy _ , leaning back against Nick for support who used the opportunity to bury his face in her neck again.

“Sabrina, get over here, I have the perfect song for us!” Caroline called and Sabrina extricated herself from her boyfriend’s grasp, ignoring his sounds of protest for the moment. She snorted when she saw that Caroline had chosen Black Velvet, but went along with it. She saw both Nick as well as her cousin and Elliot burst into laughter when the song started, all of them remembering that video Nick had taken. He had downloaded it again from the chat where he had sent it to Ambrose and forwarded it to Elliot, which in turn had earned him an earful from Caroline back then. He still thought it had been totally worth it. 

An idea struck him and he quickly pulled his phone from the pocket of his pants and started recording as he this time unashamedly watched Sabrina sing and goof around with Caroline while she was dancing in a way that were equal parts adorable and hot. When she noticed the phone in his hand, Sabrina rolled her eyes, but kept going, taking it as the part of the callback that it was. 

Once the song was over, she made a beeline for him and grabbed his hand. “You’re coming with me, Scratch,” Sabrina informed him and lead him to the kitchen, letting Roz know on the way out that she was going to get some coffee into Nick in an attempt to sober him up a little.

“What are we doing here?” he asked once they were alone , grinning as he  followed her to the kitchen counter  and put his hands on her waist the second she turned her back to him. 

“ _ You  _ are going to get some coffee into your system,” she explained while already busying herself with their coffee maker. “Nick!” She  yelped in surprise when he fused his lips to her neck again. 

“Hm?” Was his absentminded reply  as his hands drifted from her waist to her hips,  nuzzling a spot below her ear. 

“Stop it,” Sabrina demanded weakly. Even - or maybe especially? – in his tipsy state, he knew exactly which buttons to push. 

The second she had pressed the last button on the machine and it started to grind the coffee beans, Nick turned Sabrina around and kissed her, using her gasp to immediately deepen it. He smiled into the kiss when she melted against him and he pushed her up against the counter, needed to feel her closer when she buried a hand in his hair.

She regained her senses when the noise of the machine behind her stopped and her hand drifted from his hair to his chest. Sabrina pushed him away and had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing when she saw him pout. “Coffee first,” she told him, pushing him away a bit more so she could turn around and grab the mug. 

“You said first, I’m holding you to that,” Nick grumbled and took the mug, leaning against the counter as he sipped his coffee and watched Sabrina start up the machine again. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question when she turned around again.

“Might do me some good, too. I took a few of your shots earlier,” she reminded him. 

“Maybe that was the plan, getting you tipsy by rescuing me.”

Sabrina snorted. “If that was your plan, better luck next time, you had more than me.”

"But I hold my liquor better than you do, babe,” he answered, smirking at her over the top of his cup before taking another sip. When she lowered her eyes at him, he winked at her, barely able to contain his laughter when she huffed and grabbed her own mug. 

They drank their coffee in silence, leaning against the counter next to each other and Sabrina tapping along to the songs their friends chose to perform more or less successfully in the living room. She grimaced a little at Ambrose’s slightly off-key version of  _ I Walk the Line _ but had the suspicion that he was doing it on purpose. 

After a while, Nick peered over and saw that her cup was empty, so he wordlessly took it and placed it along with his own in the sink before returning to her. “I’ve had my coffee like a good boy,” he started and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him, making her gasp, “now I believe you promised we’d pick up where you stopped us earlier.” He cupped her face with his other hand and held her gaze, unable to keep the smirk off his face at the wide-eyed look she gave him.

“I think we should go back to the others,” Sabrina argued, but she didn’t push him away. She would have to lie if she said that she didn’t enjoy his hands on her. 

“Just a few more minutes, babe, they’re not going to miss us,” he replied and kissed her, effectively cutting off any further protest. 

Before Sabrina had any idea what was happening, Nick had led her to the kitchen table, picked her up and set her down, smiling against her lips when she eagerly pulled him closer, allowing him to step between her legs. His hand squeezed her thigh as hers buried in his hair when he trailed kissed down her neck, her head tilted to the side to give him more room.

She sighed his name, a breathless little sound, when he playfully scraped his teeth over her skin, her hold on him tightening. Sabrina thought she heard Harvey singing in the living room, but any and all thoughts vanished from her mind when Nick’s hand drifted up further and under her short skirt. She guided his mouth back to hers and pulled him into a hard kiss, a jolt of satisfaction piercing through her when she heard him groan. 

“Brina, where did you put the –” Roz started as she walked into the kitchen, freezing mid-sentence in the doorway and stumbling when Theo walked into her.

“Roz, what -” he started and peered around her, his eyes growing wide when he saw what had caused her to become a human roadblock. 

Sabrina froze when she heard their voices and pushed at Nick’s shoulder, inwardly cursing when he only reluctantly pulled away. She looked over his shoulder and, upon realizing the position they were in, quickly grabbed his hand and pulled it away from her thigh. “Hey guys,” she said with a slight squeak before clearing her throat. “Uhm … you … you were looking for something?” 

“Brina, you should have at least closed the door,” Theo said, having regained his ability to speak. “I mean, I get it, but nobody here wants that kind of show.”

“What kind of show?” 

When Sabrina heard Prudence’s voice, she wanted to ground to open up underneath her and just swallow her whole. It didn’t help in the slightest that Nick hadn’t really moved away and was now resting his forehead against her collarbone, his breath softly caressing her skin. The desire to just vanish grew stronger when she heard Prudence’s soft chuckle. 

“I didn’t think you had it in you, Sabrina,” she said with a smirk, eyeing them up and down, her eyes lingering on the Sabrina’s black tights. “Or, well, I guess you didn’t, after all. I hope those pants aren’t too tight, Nicky.” With that, she left, and Sabrina had no doubt that she was going to go straight to Ambrose to tell him what she had just seen. The night had definitely just taken a turn for the worse.

Roz slowly regained her footing and blinked. “I remember getting coffee into someone a little differently, Brina,” she remarked, unable to hide her amusement when Sabrina glared in her direction.

“I hate you. Every single one of you,” she told her so-called friends before swatting at Nick’s hand – the one that was hidden from their view and crept up her thigh again. “Nick, stop!” she hissed, in the hopes of being quiet enough, but Roz and Theo still heard her and started snickering. Sabrina took a deep breath, her eyes closed. This was a nightmare, but she was pretty sure that she wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. “What were you looking for?” She asked weakly when she forced herself to open her eyes again.

“The chips bowls were empty,” Roz answered, pointing at the empty bowls she and Theo were holding. 

Sabrina pointed at the counter were enough bags of chips to feed an entire army were neatly stacked. Maybe she had inherited that from Hilda. When her friends went to work, still with shit-eating grins on their faces, she pushed at Nick’s chest to get him to move. When she slid off the table, she quickly fixed her skirt and combed a hand through her hair in order to fix it at least a little bit.

Once she was as done as she would be without a mirror, she looked at Nick. His hair was a mess and his dark eyes still bore into hers with an intensity that made her shiver. Judging from the smudges around Nick’s mouth, her lipstick was a mess and she reached up to wipe the traces away from his lips as much as possible, slightly gasping when he pressed a soft kiss to the palm of her hand. Her nerves endings were still on fire and things like that didn’t help at all. The smirk on his lips told her that he knew exactly what he was doing and she narrowed her eyes at him as she tried to fix the mess she had made of his hair. Her gaze softened when he reached up to fix her headband and then proceeded to wipe away the lipstick that wasn’t where it was supposed to be. 

“You two are way too cute. When you’re not almost having sex in your kitchen, that is,” Theo said, snorting when Roz elbowed him.

Nick laughed and wrapped his arms around Sabrina when she groaned and hid her face in his chest. 

“We did not almost have sex, Theo,” she grumbled, the sound muffled. “And now get out of my kitchen.”

Roz led a snickering Theo out of the kitchen, but not without dropping a hint that they might still want to check a mirror before they came back to the living room. 

“Your kitchen, hm?” Nick asked with a grin and leaned down to kiss her again, but Sabrina pushed him away.

“ _ Our  _ kitchen,” she amended, “and keep your lips away from me. That’s what got us into this mess just now.” She checked him over and realized that Roz had been right. “Why don’t you go to the bathroom to get rid of the rest of my lipstick and then join the others? I’ll clean up here a bit until you’re done,” Sabrina suggested, already moving away from him to keep her hands busy. 

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed and caught the dishtowel she threw his way with a grin, placing it on the counter next to her and kissing her cheek before he left the kitchen. 

As Sabrina had feared, there had been running commentary when she got back to the living room as well, especially from Ambrose and Caroline. But once they had gotten it out of their system, she was able to enjoy the party again, most of the time still wrapped in Nick’s arms. 

She took a page out of his book and snuck a few videos of their friends’ karaoke performances as well as his, a bright smile on her face when he chose  _ You’re My Best Friend _ by Queen, his eyes on her the entire song. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly when he came back to her, ignoring the catcalls of some of their friends. “I love you,” she whispered, her lips still brushing against his.

“I love you, too,” he answered, pecking her lips again before tugging her into his embrace, the usual calm feeling seeping deep into his bones when she relaxed against him, nestling closer as Theo and Robin grabbed the microphones.

Soon enough, they turned on the TV and watched the live show from New York where everyone was getting ready for the ball to drop. Sabrina was busy filling glasses of champagne so everyone could grab one at midnight to ring in the new year while Nick got the fireworks ready with Ambrose’s help.

“Guys, grab your glasses!” Sabrina called when the ball began his descent. She held one out to her boyfriend and her cousin when they came back to the living room, Ambrose quickly making a beeline for Prudence and wrapping his arm around her. Sabrina smiled when she leaned into him and he kissed her temple. For all the shit Ambrose gave her and Nick, he was just as bad when he had the chance. 

They counted down the last ten seconds, followed by a chorus of “Happy New Year!”s from everyone. Nick leaned down and kissed her deeply, smiling when she chased his lips for another kiss once he broke away. 

“Happy New Year, babe,” he said, clinking his champagne glass against hers. 

“Happy New Year,” Sabrina replied. “I have a feeling it’s going to be the best one yet.” She managed to take a sip from her champagne before Nick kissed her again, short and sweet – but she could still taste the champagne on his lips. When she turned to go and hug her friends, she saw that Elliot had dipped Caroline and the two of them were still kissing. Sabrina cleared her throat loudly to get their attention.

Once Caroline was upright again, she looked at Sabrina innocently. “What? We only took a page out of your book.”

Sabrina groaned and closed her eyes, but still hugged Caroline tightly when the taller woman wrapped her arms around her. She really should have known better.

The second everyone was done with their new year’s wishes, Ambrose ushered them outside, eager to start setting off the fireworks he and Nick had already set up. 

“Don’t you want to help him?” Sabrina asked when Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle, his chin resting on her shoulder. His eagerness for the fireworks had been almost childlike over the last few days and she had found it adorable. 

“Nah, I’m good,” he answered, kissing her cheek. “I’d rather watch the fireworks with you.” 

She melted a little inside at his words and turned her head to kiss him sweetly before looking up into the night sky. The new year would definitely be the best one yet, she decided as she put her hands on top of Nick’s and leaned back against him.


	21. Living in the Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> I'm really happy that little party in the last chapter seemed to be a hit. I definitely had a lot of fun writing it, even if it made me miss social gatherings even more for a little while. 
> 
> But anyway, I come bearing gifts in the form of a new chapter! I hope you enjoy this piece of fluff as much as I had fun writing it. Let me know what you think?

_I've been livin' in the future_   
_Hopin' I might see you sooner_   
_I want you ridin' shotgun_   
_I knew when I got one right_

_ (FINNEAS – Let's Fall In Love For The Night) _

Sabrina leaned against the front door after closing it and watched as Nick put his jacket on a hanger. “What’s the verdict, did you have a good birthday?” 

He came back to her and caged her in with his arms before leaning down and kissing her soundly. “The best,” he answered with a smile. They had spent the evening at the mortuary, Hilda cooking up a storm. It wasn’t one of Sabrina’s bigger parties, but Nick found that he liked it even better. A small celebration with the people he considered his family.

“It’s not over yet, you know?” Sabrina ducked out of his arms and laughed when he pouted. “Come on, I have something for you in the living room.” She took his hand and he gave it a gentle squeeze, making her smile as she led him to the adjoining room. 

She turned around to face him as she turned on the lights, wanting to see his reaction. It didn’t disappoint. Sabrina grinned when his mouth dropped open in shock as he took in the decorations. It looked as if a teenager's birthday party had exploded all over the place. And some of it looked even familiar, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

“What … what is all this?” He took in the balloons around the room and on the floor, the paper streamers and – balloons shaped in the number 14? Nick furrowed his brow. “Babe, I think there might have been a mix-up,” he nodded in the direction of the balloons. 

Sabrina laughed and shook her head. “No mix-up. I’ll explain in a minute. Come on, sit down.” She led him to the sofa and he laughed as he spotted some of her old stuffed animals on additional chairs that usually belonged in their dining room. 

Nick pulled her down into his lap as he sat down, making her laugh when she put her arm around his shoulders as he wrapped his around her waist. “Okay, explanation, please?”

“Today is not just your 24 th birthday,” she started, biting her lip. “Ten years  ago today was also the first time we kissed.” Sabrina watched carefully for his reaction. She had gone through Hilda’s photo album to recreate the decorations as closely as possible, the search for the right kind of balloons taking her to several stores until she finally caved and ordered them online.

“Sabrina,” he whispered, looking at her in wonder. The decorations suddenly made perfect sense. Just when he thought he couldn’t love her more, she did something like this. Nick pulled her in for a long kiss that she broke before things had the chance to get heated.

“Wait a minute,” she said, slipping into the seat next to him, immediately missing his warmth. “Ten years ago, things didn’t exactly go great.”

“You didn’t talk to me for a week after that kiss,” he pointed out. 

Sabrina scrunched up her nose. “I guess I had an MO when it came to kissing you as a teenager,” she admitted. “Which is why I thought we could have a do-over.”

He raised his eyebrow. “Of our first kiss?”

She nodded. “Yup. Now, obviously the people from back then aren’t here, but I found some stand-ins.” Sabrina nodded to the stuffed animals and grabbed a small plastic box full of little folded up pieces of paper from the table he hadn’t noticed before. There were also plastic cups, a bowl of punch and chips laid out and even a small birthday cake, made by Hilda, from the looks of it. So that’s where she had vanished to shortly before the party at the mortuary had come to an end. “So, what do you say – do you want to play a round of truth or dare?”

Nick smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “With you? Always.”

Sabrina held the box out to him. “Take a pick. I know this not how it usually works, but I had to improvise.”

Considering what she had planned, Nick was sure that every single piece of paper in that box said ‘dare’ and was surprised when he read ‘truth’ instead. “Huh, okay, truth it is.”

She grinned at the baffled look on his face. “Tell me, Scratch, well, if you remember: What did you think of me after your first day at Greendale Elementary School?”

Nick laughed. “Oh, I remember perfectly.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “I thought you were bossy,” he quickly kissed her cheek when she started to protest, “but I also thought you were nice, funny. I liked that you thought scary stories were cool. And after we talked about our parents, I thought you might understand me. I hoped we could be friends.”

Sabrina cradled his cheek with her hand, smiling when he pressed a kiss to her palm. “You got your wish. And then some.”

“Definitely more than I could have ever imagined back then,” he agreed. Nick took the box and held it out to her, “Your turn.”

She squared her shoulders. “Alright, here we go.” Sabrina reached in and mixed up the pieces of paper a little for effect before pulling one out. “A dare,” she declared after unfolding it.

“I dare you to kiss me,” he said automatically.

She threw her head back in laughter. “That’s not how it went. Choose something different.”

He looked at her for a moment, a dangerous glint in his eye. “I dare you to take off a piece of clothing.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

Nick shrugged, a flirty grin on his face. “One less thing I have to take off of you later.”

“Smooth, really,” she commented. “But okay, a dare’s a dare.” She took off her blouse and put it over the armrest of the couch, revealing a black lacy camisole. 

“I’m starting to like this game a lot,” Nick said, letting his gaze roam over his girlfriend.

Sabrina grabbed the box from him before he could get any ideas. “Your turn.”

“See? Bossy,” he said, laughing when she playfully smacked his arm. Nick picked a piece of paper from the top. “Another truth. Seriously? I expected this box to be full of dares.”

She threw his own smirk back at him and Nick had to hold onto himself to not pounce on her. How she sat there in her short skirt and black lacy top with that look on her face was almost too much for him to take. “Where would have been the fun in that?” Sabrina pressed her lips together for a moment, thinking. “Okay. What did you tell your uncle when we met him at the Christmas Market? He looked so scandalized and you wouldn’t tell me.”

Nick chuckled. “That’s what you’re using your question for?” When she nodded, he shook his head. “Alright. He asked me if I was serious about letting a Spellman woman control me and went  on about how there are other pretty girls who would be easier to keep in line. I didn’t want to listen to his bullshit anymore, so I took a page out of your cousin’s book.”

“Oh no. I’m fearing the worst.”

“I told him that you don’t control me, but that I’d gladly let you tie me up if that’s what you wanted.” He laughed at the way her eyes widened.

“Oh my God, Nick!” She was mortified.

“I liked the way you said that last night better,” he teased, his laughter only growing louder when she buried her face in her hands, her cheeks red.

“You are officially the worst. And you spend too much time with Ambrose, that stops now,” Sabrina declared. She glared at him when he pulled her hands away, revealing her burning cheeks. There was no fire in her gaze, though, and she closed her eyes when he placed a soft kiss on each cheek and her forehead. “I can’t believe you said that to your uncle,” she muttered under her breath.

“He was really asking for it,” Nick argued, a smile still firmly planted on his face. He grabbed the box again. “Now, let’s move on. Your turn.”

Sabrina took a deep breath, willing her cheeks to stop burning as she grabbed a piece of paper. “Truth,” she said. 

“Pity, I was hoping the skirt would go next,” he said, earning him a warning look. “Okay, let me think. How about something you never wanted to tell me?” 

Sabrina raised her eyebrow at that. There were very little things Nick didn’t know about her. They had been around each other for most of their lives, after all. 

“Who was your first crush?” 

She turned her head away at the question and looked at the balloon numbers, biting her lip. He had actually found one of the few things she had never told him about – with good reason. “You,” she mumbled. 

Nick blinked. “I’m sorry, what? Remember, Spellman, you have to tell me the truth.”

“I’m serious,” Sabrina answered, finally looking at him again. “Why do you think I didn’t talk to you for a week after that kiss? I was so scared that you somehow might have realized that I had a crush on you.”

“I always thought you were just mad that I didn’t tell Agatha to go to hell and stole your first kiss,” he answered. Then something different dawned on him. “Wait a second. Are you saying that we could have started dating that long ago? Even before you decided getting together with Harvey was a good idea?”

Sabrina bit her bottom lip again before answering, the gesture distracting Nick momentarily. “I don’t think we would have worked out if we had started dating then. Besides, I got over that crush and really loved Harvey. He was a great first boyfriend.”

“Current boyfriend sitting right here, babe,” Nick reminded her. 

“You are a lot more than just my current boyfriend, Nicholas Scratch,” Sabrina argued. “You are my best friend. The person I trust more than anyone else, with my entire being. You’re my first thought in the morning and my last at night.” She paused, a small smile on her face. “You’re the love of my life, Nick. And while I wish I had realized that sooner, I can’t change the past. But we’re here now and that’s all that counts.”

He swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat at her words and took a moment to find his voice. “I know you want to finish this game and we will, but I really need to kiss you right now, Spellman,” he rushed out before pulling her against him, fusing their lips together in a searing kiss, trying to show her just how much she meant to him. 

When they had to pull away, both breathing hard, he leaned his forehead against hers. “I feel the same way, Sabrina. You are the love of my life. And I think deep down, we both always knew. Think about how close we always were, even as kids. We went through so much, we hurt each other, deeply at that – but we always found our way back and now we’re here. Because we knew that we wouldn’t be whole without the other.”

Now Sabrina was the one to close the gap and pull him into another kiss. Once she broke away, she pressed her lips together, still tasting him. “Let’s finish this game, Scratch.” 

She picked up the box again and he reached in, breathing a sigh of relief when he read: “Dare. Finally.”

Sabrina grinned and grabbed her phone. “Hang on.” 

Nick watched curiously as she tapped on the display when suddenly Agatha’s voice rang out.  _ “I dare you to kiss Sabrina, Nicky.” _ He looked at his girlfriend, his eyebrow raised. 

“How did you get her to do that? And not tell me about it?”

An innocent smile played on her lips. “I asked her, told her what I wanted to do. And I might have reminded her that my family runs a mortuary and we know how to take care of bodies, in case she thought about telling you or her sisters about this.”

He laughed. “You are something else, Spellman.”

“I believe Agatha dared you to do something,” she reminded him. “Now, I think we were sitting like this on the couch.” Sabrina moved slightly away, bringing more distance between them. 

“And then I leaned over,” he followed up his words with the motion, “and asked ‘are you okay with this?’”

Sabrina smiled. “I just nodded, because I was too shocked to say anything. But I’m not today, so: I’m more than okay with this.”

Nick grinned. “Good.” He put his hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing the soft skin. He closed the distance and pressed a gentle kiss against her mouth. Nothing more than an innocent brush of lips, not unlike the way he had kissed her ten years ago. Both smiled when they pulled away. “So, what did you think of our first kiss?”

“It was perfect.” She put her hands on his shoulders, one drifting to the back of his neck. “But now I want another. See if it’s just as good.”

“You read my mind.” He closed the distance again and Sabrina leaned back into the cushions, pulling Nick with her, the punch and cake on the table forgotten.

**********

The next morning, Sabrina woke up to soft kisses starting at her cheek and moving down her neck to her collarbone. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by an unruly mop of dark curls that shone in the sunlight filtering in through the windows of their bedroom and she smiled.

“Why are you up already, Nick?” she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep. 

He lifted his head and smiled. “Because I wanted to wake you up with breakfast in bed after everything you did yesterday. Good morning, by the way,” he kissed her gently, feeling her smile against his lips. 

“It was your birthday,” she simply answered, still smiling as she dragged her thumb over his lips. “But I won’t say no to breakfast in bed.” 

“Don’t get too excited,” he warned as he pulled away to grab the tray.

Sabrina held the tray while he got back in bed with her, appreciating the view when he took off the shirt he had been wearing. “You made me blueberry pancakes?” She asked, the smile on her face growing bigger when she put the tray down between them. 

“I made blueberry chocolate chip pancakes. Best of both worlds,” he corrected.

She leaned over the tray to kiss him again, a short brush of her mouth against his. “Thank you.”

Nick pushed a strand of her still sleep-tousled hair behind her ear. “It’s the least I could do.” 

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, Salem curled up at the end of the bed in a tiny black ball. Sabrina was sure that she had fallen in love with Nick all over again when her cat had jumped up on the bed and Nick had placed a saucer with bits of ham in front of him that he had prepared for Salem just in case he showed up.

“I still can’t believe you did all that,” he broke the silence, piercing a piece of pancake with his fork and dipping it in the maple sirup again for good measure before offering it to Sabrina. 

She laughed at the gesture and let him feed her, chewing happily on the sweet treat. “It’s not like I didn’t get anything out of it, too.” She mirrored him and held her fork up to his lips. An almost smug grin spread over her lips while he ate. “By the way, you know who would have never done something like that? Gina.” 

Nick groaned. “Can we not talk about my ex-girlfriend right now?” There was no heat in his question, he recognized her teasing for what it was. He didn’t bother correcting her deliberately getting the name wrong. While it had angered him years ago, he now found it endearing that she still went out of her way to do it.

Sabrina shrugged. “I’m just saying. The ice queen wouldn’t have bothered to recreate a moment from the past.” She grinned as she put the last piece of pancake in her mouth.

Two could play that game. “True,” he conceded. “But you know who wouldn’t have brought  _ you  _ breakfast in bed the next morning? Caliban.” Nick watched her roll her eyes. When it came to questionable dating choices in college, they were pretty much on par, he saw that now. “He probably would have said something like ‘can you whip up some breakfast, doll? My hands are tired from all the sculpting I did last night’.” 

She burst into laughter, Salem lifting his head at the sudden noise. “That was the worst Caliban impression I’ve ever heard,” the blonde said when she regained control, a bright smile still on her face. 

Nick nodded, grinning from ear to ear. “Right. His sentences were usually shorter than that.”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow at that, a challenging twinkle in her eye. “Are you still jealous that I went on a couple of dates with him?”

He didn’t say anything and simply put the tray on the floor next to the bed. When he turned back to Sabrina, he held her gaze. “Why would I be jealous? I got the girl in the end.” Nick didn’t give her time to respond, instead he almost pounced on her, quickly closing the distance between them and pushing her into the pillows, making her shriek with laughter that was quickly muffled by his lips. Salem jumped off the bed and fled the room at the sudden noise, looking for a quieter place to sleep.

Sabrina didn’t really notice her cat leave, though. She was too focused on kissing the man above her who tasted like blueberries and chocolate and coffee. “I love you, Scratch,” she whispered when his lips started to travel again.

“I love you, too, Spellman,” he mumbled against her skin, intent on showing her how grateful he was for how things had turned out between them.

**********

At the end of June, the junior class of Sunnydale High traditionally visited Greendale University for a day to get a feeling for the differences in the way classes were taught and what to expect from college in general. Since Sabrina was working on her master’s degree, she had volunteered as chaperone since she knew her way around the university. It just made sense for her to go, even if she wouldn’t be able to meet with Nick for lunch since she had to make sure her students didn’t misbehave.

What she hadn’t told Nick, however, was that she was going to sit in on his lecture. The professor he was the TA for was speaking a symposium, so he was going to take over.  So when she had kissed him on the way out of the house, she had told him that she probably wouldn’t be able to meet him for coffee later, even if she was on campus. If he knew that she planned on attending, he would only try  to talk her out of it.

Now, Sabrina found herself sitting in a lecture hall with a few of her students. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing when she heard them whispering about the hot guy sorting through notes up front. They were not wrong – Nick looked good in the black pants and button-down shirt he wore with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She had made sure to show him how much she approved of the look when he came into the kitchen that morning, pulling him close by the belt loops of his pants before making quick work of the cardigan he had worn over the shirt and that was now draped over the chair behind the teacher’s desk. 

“Oh my God, he’s the teacher?!” one of her students, Amber, whispered. “I can’t wait to go to college.”

“Right? I wish our teachers looked like that, I would pay a lot more attention,” Zoe next to her replied.

“No, you wouldn’t,” Jessica in front of them argued as she turned around and rolled her eyes.

Sabrina snorted at the exchange, getting their attention. “First of all:  _ please  _ pay attention in class, that’s what’s going to get you into college,” she said, still grinning. “And second: you might want to pay  more  attention to what that guy is going to  _ say  _ than what he looks like to get an idea how college classes work. And I’m pretty sure he’s the TA and not the regular lecturer.” 

“Sorry, Ms. Spellman,” Zoe answered and had the decency to look a little embarrassed. 

“Don’t worry about it. And I mean … I’m not blind.” She shrugged, making her students giggle. “But I think he’s about to start, so please, focus.”

She saw Nick taking a deep breath, no doubt trying to center himself, before he finally looked around the room, scanning the crowd. He suddenly stopped and Sabrina saw his mouth twitch a little when he spotted her. She winked and he quickly looked away, trying to keep his face straight as he started class. 

Nick didn’t waste any time and dove right in, the topic of the lecture the analysis of Poe’s  _ The Raven _ . A small smile crept over her face at how passionate he spoke about gothic literature and then Poe’s work in general, flooding them with information to lay the groundwork for the main event. And Sabrina had to admit that she also found it a little sexy, seeing him putting all of his knowledge to use. She teased him once in a while for being a nerd when he got lost in his books, but on the other hand, she could listen to him go on like this for hours.

Once they dove right in, Sabrina glanced at her  students once in a while and frowned a little when she noticed that Zoe had gone slightly pale. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

“I’m never going to make it through college, I have no idea how these people come up with the things they say,” was the girl’s reply, her words slightly laced with panic.

“Hey, calm down. You’ll get there. You have another year of high school in front of you and there are introduction classes. Baby steps, everything’s going to work out,” Sabrina said, a small, hopefully encouraging smile on her face.

Zoe took a deep breath, willing her pulse to slow down. “Thanks, Ms. Spellman.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, does anyone have thoughts on the raven itself?” Nick asked the room and Sabrina turned her attention back to him, only to find him looking straight at her. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen you in this class before. But maybe you want to jump right in?”

She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing. He had probably seen her talk to Zoe and hoped to catch her off guard. But he should really know better, especially when it came to Edgar Allen Poe.

“I’m just visiting today,” she responded, “but sure. There are a few ways to look at the raven itself, the most obvious one is that it’s actually an animal. Ravens are extremely clever, so this one could in theory have learned to say ‘nevermore’ and nothing else. However, I’m pretty sure that’s not what Poe was going for. I’d say that the raven is more of a manifestation of the narrator’s grief and maybe also a sort of personification of regret for things he now doesn’t have the chance to say to Lenore or do with her.”

Nick smiled, that slightly lopsided grin that he usually reserved for her. “Pity you’re only here today, you should really think about joining this class. Those were some excellent points.” He switched to the next slide in his presentation and engaged one of the regular students in discussing the point of the raven as manifestation when Jessica turned around. 

“That was so cool,” she whispered, her eyes wide. “You’re not even an English teacher!”

Sabrina grinned. “Thanks, but I had an advantage, Poe is one of my favorite authors. And my roommate in college was a literature major, so I picked up a thing here and there while spellchecking papers.”

“Still,” Zoe agreed, “that was really cool. And that guy was totally flirting with you!”

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing. Yes, Nick was definitely flirting and also shameless in calling her out to say something in the first place, but she couldn’t admit that. “He wasn’t,” she denied instead, “that would be completely unprofessional.”

“You’re a teacher, it doesn’t matter.”

“But he doesn’t know that, Jessica. And, please, pay attention to what’s going on in class,” Sabrina gently scolded them, even if she understood where their distraction was coming from. The little white lie about Nick not knowing that she was a teacher … well. It wasn’t like they were going to find out.

“Sorry Ms. Spellman,” her students mumbled, Jessica turning around again.

Sabrina saw that Nick was looking their way again and she raised an eyebrow, daring him to throw another question her way. He seemed to think better and quickly redirected his attention, making her smile.

The rest of his class went by pretty uneventful, but she had to admit to herself that the unflappable way in which he handled the classroom turned her on a lot more than it should, even if that would have to wait until she got him alone tonight. 

They were some of the last people to leave the lecture hall and Nick was already packing up his own things by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs. He looked up and a smiled spread across his lips. 

“I’m sorry, can I talk to you for a second?” he asked, his gaze fixed on her.

“Uhm, sure, of course,” Sabrina replied, brushing a platinum curl behind her ear. She heard her students whispering behind her and took a deep breath when Nick rounded the desk he had spread his notes on. “Why don’t you wait outside? I’ll be right there,” she told the girls, who had stopped a few steps behind her.

“That’s fine, we don’t mind,” Amber replied, the other two quickly agreeing.

“I wanted to apologize for calling you out like that earlier,” Nick started, the slightly lopsided smile still firmly in place.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” she replied.

“I’ve just never seen you here before, so I was curious,” he explained.

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. What was he playing at? She decided to play along and find out. “Like I said, I’m just a guest auditor today.”

“Can I get a name?”

She heard the girls giggle behind her at the question and rolled her eyes at Nick, biting her lower lip to keep herself from laughing. “Sabrina,” she finally answered.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nicholas. But please, call me Nick,” he replied.

“Your name was on the presentation,” Sabrina replied, a cheeky smile on her face. 

“You got me there.” He shrugged. “So why are you visiting today? Thinking about transferring here?”

She chuckled at the question, biting her lower lip to keep herself from calling him out on his shit. However, she saw his gaze drop to her mouth for a second and her smile widened, glad that her students couldn’t see her face. “I’m here as a chaperone, making sure these three,” she sent a glance over her shoulder, “and a few others are behaving while checking out college classes for the first time.”

“You’re a teacher? You look too young to be one,” Nick said, a glint in his eyes when she narrowed her eyes at him at the reminder of Caroline’s bet that she would be mistaken for a high school senior.

“Well, I’m not,” Sabrina replied.

“Aren’t you still taking classes here as well, Ms. Spellman?” Zoe piped up and Sabrina shot her a look over her shoulder, unable to keep the surprised look off of her face. The way too innocent smile on the girl’s face and the comment about Nick’s flirting earlier told her all she needed to know.

“So … Sabrina Spellman, huh?” he asked, smirking in a way she found irresistible – and he knew it. Damn him. “What are you teaching?”

“I’m a history teacher. And as  _ my students  _ so helpfully pointed out, I’m still working on my master’s degree. Just thought I’d get a head start with teaching, but I’m kind of regretting that right now,” she told him, her words more directed at the girls though. 

Nick cocked his head, the smirk still firmly in place as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, drawing her eyes to his bare forearms. “History. That explains why I haven’t seen you around here before. Really a pity. Especially considering what you said earlier.”

Sabrina had the feeling that he felt way too good about himself right now with the way he stood before her, looking way too attractive when she couldn’t do anything about it. But she wasn’t going to be the one who broke first. She shrugged. “I had this roommate in college who was a literature nerd in a way that went far beyond class requirements,” she replied, her eyebrow slightly raised in a wordless challenge. 

“Sounds like a great person,” he said without missing a beat.

She  hummed, an indecisive little sound that made him raise an eyebrow in return. “Sometimes more, sometimes less. Left books everywhere.” 

Nick lowered his head a little, unable to hold eye contact without laughing. He still chuckled a bit when he looked up at her through his lashes, knowing fully well from experience what that did to her. “I sense a story there. Want to tell me over coffee sometime?”

Sabrina pursed her lips. Ass. He knew exactly what he did to her with that intense stare, had used it countless times over the last few months to get his way – even if it was just to get her to stay in bed a few more minutes when they should both be getting up. Not that he hadn’t made it worth being in a hurry later, but that wasn’t the point. She heard one of the  girls gasp while another tried her best to hide a squeal. “I’ll think about it and let you know,” she answered, mirroring his earlier smirk. “After all, I know when to find you here now.” 

She looked at the clock on the wall and then at her students. “We should get going, we’re meeting up with the others in 20 minutes.” They stared at her like she had lost her mind. “Come on. You still need to decide which classes you want to visit in the afternoon, too.” When they got over their shock and moved to the door, Sabrina turned around again. “It was nice to meet you,  _ Nicholas _ ,” she said, emphasizing his full name teasingly.

Nick watched her, his dark gaze unwavering. “It was my pleasure.” When she turned around to follow her students, a thought popped up in his head and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling. “Sabrina?” he called after her.

“Yes?” she turned around, her face open, unguarded.

“Can I get your number? Just, you know, to text you when you can find me here. Just in case.” He was unable to stop the smirk that took over his face. “Or my office hours,” he added, lowering his voice a little so the girls wouldn’t hear him from where they stood in the doorway, his tone full of promises usually reserved for when they were alone.

That last bit hit Sabrina unprepared and she laughed out loud, her shoulders shaking. “You are such an idiot, Nick,” she got out, still laughing when he reached her and wrapped his arms around her with a big smile on his face.

“You played along,” he reminded her before dropping a kiss to her forehead. “Hey, babe.”

“Only because I wanted to see how long you were going to keep that up,” she replied, brushing her lips over the corner of his mouth as her arms went around his middle. “Hey yourself.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this morning that you were going to come to my class?” Nick jostled her a little, making her smile.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Because you probably would have told me not to.” There had been the fact that he had very much taken advantage of her appreciation of his look and they had both almost been late, but there was no need to point that out.

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

“Uhm … Ms. Spellman?” Zoe asked. When Sabrina looked over, all three girls were staring at them with wide eyes, their eyebrows raised. Amber’s jaw had dropped and Jessica reached over to close her mouth for her.

She laughed again, leaning into Nick for support. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, but it didn’t seem important to point out that the guy in front of the lecture hall is my boyfriend. At least it didn’t until I got called out,” she pinched his side a little, making him laugh as well, “and then it felt kind of too late.”

“I had faith in you, it was Poe after all,” he replied with a slight shrug. “That college roommate is proud.”

“That roommate is going to end up on the couch tonight if he’s not careful,” Sabrina warned him, both of them well aware that it was an empty threat. She looked at the clock again. “We really should get going, though.”

“How about that coffee date later?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’m pretty sure that’s not happening today, Scratch, sorry.” With a sigh, she stepped out of his arms.

“Shame,” Nick answered. “Want me to pick up dinner on the way home later?”

Sabrina mulled his words over before shaking her head again. “No, we can decide when I get home.” Considering that she had to drive home front the neighboring town, she was confident that he’d be home before her. 

“Fine by me,” he agreed. The whispering teenagers caught his attention. “I hope that you picked up a thing or two from the lecture. Other than this little charade.”

“Oh, yeah. Ms. Spellman made sure that we pay attention.” Zoe quickly answered. 

“You should. Today is supposed to help you decide what you want to do after high school, after all,” Nick said. “If you have any questions about courses later on, feel free to reach out. I’m sure you won’t mind passing them on?” he asked Sabrina. 

“Of course I don’t mind.” She smiled, her heart feeling full at her boyfriend reaching out to her students like this. Another glance at the clock made her huff. “Alright, we really need to get going or we're going to get in trouble." Sabrina stretched and pecked his lips. “See you tonight, love you.”

“Love you, too,” he echoed before watching with a smile as she herded her students out the door. 

“Soooo Ms. Spellman …” Jessica started as they walked down the hall, “that was your boyfriend.”

Sabrina chuckled. She had expected this. “Yes, that’s him.”

“You let us talk about how hot he is and didn’t say anything!” Amber jumped in, her cheeks flushing at the thought.

“What was I supposed to do, disagree?” She asked with a grin.

“You could have told us!”

She waved the objection away. “Don’t worry about it. If you had said anything I wasn’t okay with, I would have told you, don’t worry.” It had all been innocent enough, after all. 

They  rounded a corner and walked down another hallway in  silence . “Ms. Spellman?” Zoe asked after a few moments.

“Yes?”

“Where can I find a guy like that?”

Sabrina couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “Well, I met that particular guy in third grade, so I’m not sure if I’m the biggest help there.” However, her thoughts strayed to Tom for a moment – a guy she probably would have dated at least a lot longer if Nick hadn’t been around – and Elliot, who had become a close friend and made Caroline happy. “But maybe you’ll meet a good one in college. They definitely exist. It’s not all stupid frat bros.”

“You met in third grade?!” Amber exclaimed. “That’s so romantic!”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “Calm down, I’m pretty sure they didn’t start dating then.”

“You’re right about that,” Sabrina agreed. “But we did grow up together and he was my best friend for a long time before we started dating.”

“See ?! Romantic!”

**********

When Sabrina got home later, Nick was already there, sitting in the living room and watching the news. She walked straight up to him and straddled his lap, blocking his view of the TV. He chuckled and placed his hands on her hips almost on autopilot. “Hey, babe.” He barely got the words out when she already kissed him hard, taking him by surprise.

“Do you have any idea how hot it was to watch you go into full nerd mode in that lecture hall?” she mumbled against his lips, her hands already busy with undoing the buttons of his shirt.

He laughed, pulling away to look at her, smirking when she huffed in frustration. “Hang on, that’s what gets you going right now?” His smirk grew wider at the annoyed look that crossed her face at the interruption – she was adorable like this, all riled up.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you all day, all confident and just pouring out knowledge.” Sabrina tried to kiss him again, but he leaned back, laughing when her annoyance with him visibly grew. “Nick, I swear to God, if you don’t kiss me right now-” 

He stopped her with a quick peck, but pulled away before she had a chance to deepen it. “But what about dinner?” Nick asked with a grin. “You must be starving, you left before me this morning. We should order something. What do you want?”

Sabrina undid the last button of his shirt. “You. Screw dinner.” She didn’t give him a chance to say anything else, instead burying a hand in his hair and pulling him back in for another kiss. She swatted at his chest with her free hand when he had the audacity to laugh, but forgave him just as quickly when he finally put his hands on her in earnest, getting with the program. 

Later that night, they were curled up on the couch, the movie on their TV completely forgotten as they got lost in each other, their earlier urgency gone. The slow and deep kisses teased a hum of appreciation from Nick and Sabrina couldn’t help but smile as she quietly agreed with him.

A phone started buzzing on the wooden coffee table and they first ignored it, but Nick pulled away with a sigh when it didn’t stop. “It’s yours,” he told Sabrina and grabbed the phone. What he had thought to be an incoming call was however a plethora of messages.

“Hang on, just a minute,” she answered and pecked his lips before opening the messages. “Oh, Caroline sent me the final contestants for the bridesmaid dress.” Sabrina closed her eyes for a moment as Nick began to brush kisses over the sensitive spot below her ear, enjoying the sensation for a moment before taking a deep breath to steel herself against the very efficient distraction. “Nick, please,” she gasped when he nipped at her skin.

“Hmmm, not the first time you say that tonight,” he mumbled, his lips never fully breaking contact.

She could feel his smile and opened her eyes again. “Just a minute, Casanova. Help me pick out a dress.”

He pulled away. “Fine. Let’s see what she picked out before she calls and demands an answer.” Nick leaned back against the couch and pulled Sabrina to his side, kissing her temple when she nestled into his embrace and leaned her head against his shoulder. 

She started scrolling through the pictures Caroline had sent. The pastel pink one the gallery started off with was a definite no, as was the next one, the color somewhere between pastel orange and yellow. 

“Oh, wait,” Nick immediately said when the third dress appeared on her screen. “I like that one.”

Sabrina had to agree. This one was decidedly not pastel colored but a deep red. As the two dresses before it was floor-length, but instead of straps holding it up, this one was a halter dress. “I like it, too.”

“You always look amazing in red,” he added, his lips grazing her temple again.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she replied with a smile and turned her head up in a silent request for a kiss that Nick was all too happy to answer. 

As Sabrina continued to scroll, he found himself looking at her instead of at the phone. She told him about some details of Caroline’s wedding, but Nick didn’t really listen. Instead, he allowed himself to get lost in the moment of them cuddling on the couch in their living room, like they had for so long, even when they hadn't been a couple. And he once again realized that this was exactly what he wanted for the rest of his life, to be with her, hold her close. A part of him had known for a long time, but somehow, this moment right now made it glaringly obvious that he should do something about that.

“Nick? Are you listening?” Sabrina asked, an eyebrow raised.

“I … I wasn’t. Sorry, babe,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“At least you’re honest. What’s going on inside that big brain of yours?”

He didn’t answer but placed a lingering kiss on her lips before he disentangled himself from Sabrina. “I’ll be right back,” he promised before vanishing out of the room and up the stairs, leaving her behind with a slightly confused look on her face. 

Nick went to his side of the bed and opened the drawer of his bedside table, pulling it out all the way and quickly shoving aside the books he had put in there to get to the little box in the corner. He took a deep breath when he opened it, his mother’s engagement ring nestled in dark blue velvet. He had it altered to fit Sabrina after his birthday and had initially planned to propose on their anniversary, but he was tired of waiting. With a small smile, Nick snapped the box shut and quickly put it in his pocket before closing the drawer again. As he walked down the stairs again, he wondered if he should feel nervous about this. Probably. Most likely. However, he felt oddly calm, his smile growing when Sabrina came into view. She had curled up on the couch, her legs pulled up as she typed away on her phone. 

She looked up when she noticed him. “I told Caroline that she better make it the red dress and she agreed. Apparently, her sisters threatened that they’d bail if it was one of the, and I quote, pastel-colored abominations.”

He laughed as he took up his spot again, the fact that Sabrina immediately gravitated towards him giving him even more confidence. “Good. I can’t wait to see you in that.” 

“Oh, I’m sure,” she answered as she put her phone back on the table before leaning back into him and brushing her lips over the corner of his mouth. “What was that vanishing act about?”

“I had to get something,” Nick said, not elaborating further. It suddenly dawned on him that he had no idea what to say, no speech prepared. 

“Oh?” She leaned back and looked at him, her brow slightly furrowed. “That sounds ominous.” 

He kissed her ,  smiling against her lips when he felt her relax. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have a speech prepared. He’d just go with what felt right. Nick gently took her hands when he broke the kiss, his thumbs caressing the back or her hands. 

“Sabrina … I love you. I’ve been in love with you for so long ,  but I’ve loved you even longer. On the day we met, I had no way of knowing we’d end up here, together. But I knew that I liked you and wanted us to be friends. And then you became the most important person in my life. I have no idea how things would have gone if it wasn’t for you and your family.” He squeezed her hands gently and paused a moment, gathering his thoughts before he continued. “All of you showed me what a loving family looks like. Your aunts took me in every time my uncle failed, and you … you showed me what love is supposed to be like. I remember you once telling me that I’d find a girl who would love me the way I deserved to be loved. Honestly, back then I wasn’t so sure about that. So much had gone wrong, with Julia but also between us, so I doubted I’d find the happiness that you were talking about. But the last few months showed me that you were right, even if you probably didn’t talk about yourself back then.” 

Sabrina shook her head. “I didn’t, I was still very much in denial back then. But Nick, what –“

He let go of one hand and put a finger against her lips. “Let me finish, please?”

She nodded almost imperceptibly and kissed his fingertip. With a smile, he took her hand again. 

“You make me feel so loved, every single day. With everything you do. It doesn’t matter if it’s something big like recreating our first kiss or jumping me when you get home,” he grinned when she rolled her eyes with a smile, “or just holding me and letting me hold you. Every smile ,  every touch, every kiss. And I can only hope that I make you feel the same way.”

“You do,” she confirmed quietly, blinking away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. “Sorry,” she added with a sheepish smile when she realized that she had interrupted him. 

“Good,” Nick replied with a soft smile and pecked her lips. “I … I want that for us for the rest of our lives. I love you so much and I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. I have to admit that I’ve been thinking about this for a while and wanted to wait until our anniversary, but I realized that it doesn’t matter. My feelings for you aren’t going to change, so I’m not going to waste any more time.” He saw her eyes widen slightly when he slid off the couch and went down on his knee before her. “Sabrina Spellman, will you marry me?”

Sabrina hadn’t even realized that she had held her breath until it forced its way out again, a shaky thing that made her tremble as she looked at him, her eyes still wide with wonder. This was happening. The hopeful look on his face, so open and vulnerable, made her move. She pulled one of her hands from his grasp and cradled his face, a small smile slowly lifting the corners of her mouth. “Do you really have to ask?” She said quietly. “I told you on your birthday, you are the love of my life. Of course I’ll marry you, Nicholas Scratch.” She leaned in and pressed a short, sweet kiss to his lips. 

“Yeah?” he asked quietly, a smile spreading over his face. 

“Yeah,” she confirmed with a tiny nod before kissing him again and pulling him back up to the couch without breaking contact. When they broke apart, they wore matching smiles and Sabrina fell in love again with the way the corners of his eyes crinkled.

“Oh, wait … I told you, I had to get something earlier,” Nick suddenly remembered, pulling the little box out of his pocket and opening it. “This … this was my mom’s ring,” he said quietly, gingerly taking it out of the box, which he put on the table and out of the way. He suddenly felt nervous. What if she didn’t like it? Or didn’t want to wear another woman’s jewelry? What if she had expected him to get a new one? She had been right there when he had returned an engagement ring, for crying out loud. He didn’t want her to think that he didn’t want to spend that kind of money on her. Why had he thought his mother’s ring would be a good idea?

She stared at the ring, biting her bottom lip. It was beautiful. A thin gold band with an oval-shaped ruby that was framed by small diamonds. However, Nick had suddenly gone very still and when Sabrina looked up, she could almost hear the gears in his head turning. From the look on his face, it wasn’t anything good.

“I just realized … you don’t have to wear if it you don’t like it, of course,” Nick quickly said.

“Nick-”

“Or if you don’t feel comfortable wearing her ring, that’s totally fine,” he added.

“Nick-” she tried again, but didn’t get through to him.

“I’ll of course get you a new one, we could pick it out together?”

“Nick!” Sabrina saw where his thoughts were going and she needed to snap him out of it.

“I don’t want you to think that I didn’t want to get you your own ring, I-”

She put her hands on his cheeks to keep him still and kissed him, effectively cutting off his rambling. When Sabrina pulled away, she smiled. “I love the ring, it’s absolutely perfect. And I’d be honored to wear your mom’s ring. Nick. I don’t want my own. I’d much rather have that ring with the family history.” She knew all too well that he had barely any of his parents’ things, so the few items he had meant the world to him. The fact that he wanted her to wear his mother’s ring hit differently.

“Are you sure?” Nick asked, his spiraling thoughts slowing down again at her words. He should have known. This was Sabrina, after all. The woman who knew him better than anyone else. Who knew how much his heirlooms meant to him and who could relate to that in a way few people understood.

Sabrina nodded, her smile widening. “So sure.” She brushed her thumb over his cheekbone before lowering her left hand, the right still cradling his jaw. “Put that ring on me, Scratch.”

He grinned. “Nothing else I’d rather do.” Nick gently took her hand in his and slid the ring onto her fourth finger. “Perfect,” he whispered before bringing her hand up to his mouth and brushing a soft kiss over the ring. 

“It really is,” she agreed. “I love it. And I love you. So much.” Sabrina leaned in to kiss him again when her phone on the table buzzed again.

“Do you want to tell your family and our friends?” Nick asked.

She bit her bottom lip for a moment, then shook her head. “They’re your family, too, soon enough even officially. And we’ll tell them tomorrow. I just want to enjoy the peace and quiet with my future husband tonight.” The word felt odd on her tongue, but in the best way. Her future husband. She’d need a bit to wrap her head around that. The brilliant smile that bloomed on Nick’s face at the title definitely helped, though.

The thought of officially becoming a part of the Spellman clan made him feel warm. He’d really belong to the family that had treated him as one of their own for so long. But Sabrina had the right idea – they'd tell them tomorrow, because there was no doubt the aunts would descent upon them with wedding planning the moment they got the news. “I like the way you think, future wife,” he answered and pulled her in for that kiss her phone had initially denied them, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her closer when she melted into his embrace.


	22. Come Kiss Me by the Delta, Where the River's Torn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're taking a trip back to New Orleans with this chapter - so if you like the NOLA gang, you're getting more of them here :-) But you also might want to hold onto your hats, that's all I'm going to say.
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading and the kudos and commenting! 
> 
> We're getting closer to the end, only two more updates after this one. So let me know what you think?

_There's no one else, could ever hold me like you do_   
_There's nowhere else, that I'd rather be than with you_   
_They call us lucky, but I think we might be cursed_   
_'Cause the way you love me_   
_I could drink the river dry and still die of thirst_

_(FINNEAS – Shelter)_

“I don’t know about you, but I like being back here,” Sabrina said as they wandered around the campus grounds of their old university. Nick’s arm was slung over her shoulders while her hand rested in his back pocket, something that had earned her a raised eyebrow and a smirk when she slipped it in. 

They had decided to go down the route of nostalgia for a day of their vacation in New Orleans, visiting campus on the top of their list of things to do. 

“It’s nice. Brings back a lot of memories,” he agreed. Not all of them good, but some of them definitely shelved in a special place where they shone brightly. When they walked past the amphitheater with its ground fountains, he snorted. “Remember when Tom thought it would be a good idea to run through the fountains because it was so hot that day?” 

She laughed. “It was nice ... until campus security showed up.” Tom had started it, but Caroline, Sabrina and Nick had all joined in sooner or later, throwing handfuls of water at each other and laughing so hard that everything hurt while Julia had rolled her eyes at their antics and pulled out her phone while she waited for them to finish. 

Campus security had shown up soon enough and Tom had put on a show for the ages, stating they’d have to carry him away from the water if they wanted him to move, sitting down cross-legged in the middle of the fountains. It had turned out that the security guards’ desire to get him out of there was bigger than his ability to dig his heels in. They had grabbed him and carried him to where the rest of them stood, dripping wet, while he loudly lamented the injustice of it all, even going as far as dramatically quoting Padmé Amidala that this was how liberty died. A crowd had gathered by then, Tom earning applause when he ran right back into the fountains the second the guards had let go of him. 

“That was a good day,” Nick added, kissing her temple. 

Sabrina spotted a free table near the fountains. “Want to sit down for a bit, grab a coffee? I have sunscreen on, so I’m not going to burn to a crisp. We should make use of that,” she suggested. 

He laughed. “Why not? We have nowhere else to be.” 

“You grab the table, I’ll get the coffee?” she asked, nodding towards the library that housed its own coffee shop. 

“Sure.” Nick pecked her lips. “The usual for me. Thanks, babe.” 

“Be right back.” 

Nick watched her walk away with a smile on his lips, enjoying the way the black hot pants she wore hugged her backside while the white top she wore with it hung loosely on her petite frame. He saw her speeding up her steps slightly when she saw a large group of students heading towards the library as well and chuckled as he turned to claim the table as she had asked. 

A few minutes later, his gaze was roaming over the campus grounds, looking for changes that might have been made in the year since he had last been there, when a voice pulled him out of his thoughts. 

“Nicholas Scratch. I had no idea you were back.” 

He turned slowly, the voice all too familiar – and not in a good way. “Hello, Julia.” 

She pushed up her sunglasses to look at him, pulling her long hair back from her face in the process. “What are you doing here? Last I heard, you had moved back to that backwater town. Did you miss me, after all?” 

Nick snorted. “Believe it or not, I haven’t thought about you in a long time. I’m in town for Caroline’s wedding.” 

“Oh, right, I heard about that. Didn’t get an invitation, though.” 

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” 

He quickly turned his head at the sound of Sabrina’s voice. 

“Here’s your coffee,” she added as she placed his to-go cup in front of him, drops of water already gathering on the outside of the iced drink as she slid into the seat next to him. He raised an eyebrow when she also placed a paper bag on the table. “Donuts. They looked good,” she simply explained with a small shrug. 

“Sabrina. Of course.” Julia sounded less than happy about seeing her. 

“Julia.” Sabrina took a sip from her own iced coffee, a small satisfied sigh escaping her when the cool liquid hit just the right spot. When she fixed the lid on her cup, the ring on her finger sparkled in the sunlight. 

“Holy shit, is that an engagement ring? There is someone insane enough to want to marry you?” the brunette burst out, unable to hide her surprise. 

Sabrina tensed at the insult that was not just aimed at her but also at Nick, even if Julia didn’t know about that. “Jealous? I mean, I don’t see a ring on your finger, so I guess the hunt for a trophy-wife spot isn’t going too well,” she shot back, her defenses up instantly. That reflex had been buried the second the woman in front of them had vanished from their lives, but apparently it was still very much there, digging its way out fast. 

“Excuse me for having standards. And why would I be jealous of you? Whoever that madman is, he wasn’t even able to get you a real diamond ring,” Julia said, regaining her footing as she eyed the ring. “What, did you get knocked up by a farmer and now you have to get married so you don’t get chased out of town?” 

Nick saw Sabrina go rigid next to him, her jaw clenched, eyes narrowed. She looked ready to launch herself across the table and strike, so he put his arm around her shoulders to hold her back. Just in case. “That madman would be me,” Nick jumped in, his tone almost casual as he held Julia’s gaze. “And that ring belonged to my mom.” 

Julia’s eyebrows snapped up, surprise taking over her features again. “You? You’re a couple?!” 

“I told you, I haven’t thought about you in a long time,” he repeated, subconsciously pulling Sabrina closer. Was this how it had been for her all the time? Nick’s stomach twisted at the thought. All the times when he had refused to believe that the woman in front of them lashed out like that viciously, choosing to believe Julia instead of Sabrina. 

His ex-girlfriend straightened her posture. “I guess you finally got your wish, then, with the way you were running after her like a lost puppy even when we were together.” She looked at Sabrina then, an almost pitiful smile on her face. “You know, he never gave me secondhand jewelry. Maybe think about that for a second.” 

Sabrina supposed she should be thankful that Nick’s hold on her tightened, stopping her from ripping out the other woman’s extensions. She took a deep breath instead, closing her eyes for a second when he brushed a kiss across her temple, letting herself relax slightly into the soft gesture. For a second she felt calm, the fact that he was kissing her in front of Julia, unafraid to show off their relationship, filled her with warmth. Even if she knew that calming her was the main intent of the kiss at that moment. However, when she looked at him afterwards his expression was unreadable. The way he held himself told her that the comments about the ring hurt him and her anger flared up again when she saw Julia’s smug face. 

“Of course you don’t recognize the emotional value of a family heirloom. That would require not being empty inside.” She remembered how insecure Nick had been about the ring, rambling about getting her a new one instead. Julia was to blame for that. “Anyone can get a new ring with no further meaning attached. But Nick proposing to me with the ring that belonged to his mom? Trusting me with this piece of his family history? No new diamond ring could ever measure up to that.” Sabrina paused for a moment before a small smile appeared on her face that didn’t reach her eyes. “Besides, I’ve seen the ring he had picked out for you. Diamonds are cold and overrated. A bit like you, now that I think about it.” Back then, she had thought the ring was beautiful, but it could never compare to the one on her finger. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Julia asked, her eyes snapping to Nick. 

“Shit,” Sabrina whispered. She had actually forgotten about the fact that Julia wasn’t aware that Nick had wanted to propose to her. 

Nick caressed her shoulder with his thumb, trying to let her know it was okay. “I guess I should actually thank you for cheating on me the way you did, it was eye-opening. That was a close call.” He chuckled. “You know, Julia, me buying you a ring should have been a big flashing warning sign. I didn’t for a second consider giving you my mom’s ring.” In contrast, he hadn’t thought twice about proposing to Sabrina with that ring. At least not until after she had said yes and he had freaked out, his nerves suddenly on display in a way that could probably be linked to the woman staring at him. 

“You’re really desperate not to end up alone, aren’t you?” Julia threw his way, her lips pursed, frustrated that she hadn’t known he had planned to propose back then. “First you wanted to ask me to marry you, now you asked her. How long have you even been together? I heard that you were still selling that ‘just friends’ bullshit when you left.” 

Sabrina felt Nick tense and she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Nick has never been alone, he has always had people who love him and care about him for who he is, not because of what he owns or might be able to afford. How long we’ve been together is none of your business, so back off.” 

The smug look on her face returned. “Touchy. It must really suck to be the second choice.” 

Nick stood up abruptly at that and Julia took a step back in surprise. His voice was alarmingly calm as he spoke, but his posture was tense and his gaze set on her. “Sabrina was never the second choice, Julia, you were. In the beginning, I went for you because you were nothing like Sabrina and I wanted to get over her. And you have no idea how glad I am that it never worked completely. I was so determined to make our relationship work that I blocked out all the signs of the person you really are. Now … I really don’t know what I ever saw in you. It’s time for you to get out of here, Julia. Sabrina and I are on vacation and I’m done wasting my time listening to you verbally abusing my fiancée and me.” 

Julia huffed as she looked at him and then at Sabrina, who had remained seated. 

Her hand had dropped to the small of Nick’s back where she drew calming circles with her fingertips. She had no idea when she had seen him worked up like this the last time, but she had a hunch that it might have been during their fight. He hadn’t raised his voice, but Sabrina could tell how badly he had wanted to. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be? Leave us alone and take your toxic personality with you,” the blonde added. 

“You two deserve each other. Have fun in your little backwater town with the white picket fence until you bore each other to death.” She turned on her heels and walked away without another glance back at them. 

Sabrina tugged on Nick’s hand, trying to get him to sit down again. When he finally did, she gently rubbed his back. “You okay?” 

He sighed and turned towards her, pulling her into a tight hug and kissing her hair. “You are not the second choice, Sabrina,” he mumbled. With everything Julia had said, that still hit him the hardest. The implication that their relationship was just a plan B. Nick pulled away enough to be able to look at her when she started laughing, a confused look on his face. 

“Hey, everything’s okay. I’ve been on the receiving end of Julia’s stupid takes too many times to let something like that get to me. And neither should you,” Sabrina said. When he didn’t look convinced, she pulled him in for a lingering kiss, hoping it would help ease the worry that had been written all over his face. 

He let go of her only to gently cup her face with his hands. “I just don’t want you to think that you’re replacing her or something. That’s not true, Spellman.” 

She turned her head and placed a soft kiss first in his left palm, then the right. “I know. Nick, you make me feel so loved every day that what she suggested would have never crossed my mind, not in a thousand years. Don’t let her get into your head like that. Don’t give her that power.” 

Nick held her gaze, looking for the slightest bit of doubt or hesitation. But all he saw in her eyes was love. “I wish she was right about me putting you first when I was with her. I really should have done that.” He paused for a moment, but then decided to just ask. “Was it like that for you all the time? Was I really that blind?” 

Sabrina sighed. He wasn’t going to let this go. She grabbed his hands, held onto them as she lowered them in her lap. “Mostly, yes. And … you were a bit blind, true, but she was also sneaky back then. When she fired her shots, she always made sure you weren’t around to hear it.” 

“I should have believed you. Damn it, Sabrina, we were in each other’s lives for so long and I just … decided to take her word over yours. I’m so sorry.” He lowered his head and looked at their hands, at the way she held onto him, and brushed his thumb over the ring that sat on her finger. What would his mother have said to all that? How he had acted back then? He’d never know, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t have approved. 

“Nick, stop. You said it yourself earlier, you were determined to make your relationship work. Besides, it’s water under the bridge.” She squeezed his hands, then grinned. “Plus, how you got in Julia’s face just now? That made up for a lot … and it was kind of hot, you know.” Sabrina pecked his lips when she saw a small smile spread across his face. “We’re okay. I promise. And for the record, all that shit she said about you? None of that was true, either. You were never alone, you always had a home at the mortuary, long before you moved in officially.” 

He rested his forehead against hers. “I know. And I’ll never be able to repay your aunts for the way they just took me in.” 

“You make their niece pretty happy, I think that’s enough.” She bumped the tip of her nose against his before placing another soft kiss on his lips, glad when she felt him relax into the gesture. 

He broke the kiss after a moment, leaning back a little. “Only pretty happy?” Nick asked, one eyebrow raised. 

“I’d be happier right now if you stopped blaming yourself. I can still hear the gears turning in your head,” she answered. 

“I’ll try my best. Promise.” He glanced at their coffees, most of the ice melted. “Do you want to get out of here? Back to the hotel?” 

Sabrina followed his eyes and she considered his idea for a moment, but then shook her head. “No, let’s stay here like we had planned. We’re on vacation, babe. Let’s just soak up the sun for a while before we leave.” An impish smile graced her lips. “We could cool our feet a bit in the fountain, send a picture to the group chat and watch Tom lose his mind.” 

Nick laughed and kissed her soundly, wondering what he would do without her. His eyes landed on the ring on her left hand again and something inside him calmed down at the thought that he’d never have to find out. He shifted to straddle the bench they were sitting on and pulled Sabrina closer. “Come here, Spellman.” 

She turned around, leaning back against him, her legs propped up on the bench before her as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, her own arms on top of his. Nick nuzzled the junction of her neck and Sabrina rested her head against his shoulder to give him more space, a content smile on her face. 

“Where do you want to go next?” She asked after a while, sipping on her slightly watered-down coffee. 

Nick didn’t say anything at first, but when he finally spoke, she could hear the smile on his face without needing to turn her head to confirm it was there. “How about we try to find that psychic again? We did say we wanted to give her that massive tip she deserves.” 

Sabrina nestled closer into his embrace. “Sounds perfect.” 

Half an hour later, they left the campus – but not without sending a photo to their group chat that triggered several voice messages from Tom, mostly consisting of his devastation that they went there without him, and some text messages from Caroline telling him to dial back the drama. 

**********

Later that day and after a short trip back to the hotel to get changed, they met up with their friends and ended up in the jazz bar that had become their favorite years back for dinner and drinks. It was probably the last evening that Caroline and Elliot could actually relax before the wedding, so they decided to make the most of it. 

“What do you mean, gone?” Caroline asked. 

“Just that. The shop was just gone, along with all the signs and everything,” Sabrina answered. She and Nick had tried to go back to that psychic like they had planned, but they had only found an abandoned building instead. 

“Maybe it was too far off the tourist trail and they just decided to give up? Or relocated?” Elliot suggested. 

Nick shook his head. “We even went to the bookstore next door to ask. They couldn’t tell us anything.” 

“Now hang on, that’s not exactly right,” Sabrina jumped in. “The guy at the bookstore told us how there was never a psychic to begin with.” 

“What?” Caroline raised her eyebrows. 

“I’m pretty sure he was just messing with us, babe,” Nick answered, kissing Sabrina’s temple. “Especially since he went into full sales mode right after and tried really hard to sell you these tarot cards.” 

“He didn’t have to try especially hard to sell you those books on occult symbolism,” she shot back, a fond smile on her face as she remembered how excited he had been when he spotted that section. 

Tom’s cough that followed this tidbit of information sounded suspiciously like “nerd”. 

“You know as well as I do that you’ll read it as well once I’m done,” Nick said, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. 

“I never said I wouldn’t,” she agreed. 

“Even if he wanted to mess with you, though, why go down the path that the shop never existed? Doesn’t make sense,” Elliot threw in. 

“I have no idea. Realistically, I know it was probably some weird way to get me to buy that tarot deck, but it still gave me goosebumps,” the blonde recounted. 

Caroline pursed her lips. “I get it. Would have freaked me out a little, too.” 

“Right? That’s just weird.” 

“Totally weird,” the redhead agreed. “What about you, didn’t you get at least a little bit spooked?” She asked Nick, who had grown quiet again. 

Sabrina nudged him slightly when she noticed the far-away look on his face. 

“Sorry, what?” he asked, having spaced out for a second as his thoughts skimmed over all the weird things that had happened over the course of the day. 

“Nevermind,” Caroline answered, exchanging a look with Sabrina. 

Nick took a deep breath and looked around the table. The empty glasses gave him the perfect excuse to step away for a second to clear his thoughts. “I’ll order the next round. Same thing again for everyone?” 

Sabrina had told the others about their run-in with Julia earlier, including how Nick had told her to walk away. When Caroline had told him that she was proud of him for doing so, he had squirmed and tried to change the subject. Sabrina had kissed his cheek and whispered the same words in his ear, though, another attempt to drive home the fact that everything was okay. But she could tell that despite her best efforts, he was still struggling with the level of venom he had ignored back in the day. She looked after him with a sigh when he slipped out of their booth to order the next round once everyone had confirmed their drinks. 

“What’s up with Nick? He’s way too tense for someone on vacation. This is not still about the whole Julia thing, is it?” Tom asked. 

She grimaced. “Pretty sure it is. He’s been like this since we ran into her. I think he’s still trying to come to terms with what that means for what went down when they were still together. Nick has been beating himself up all day for believing her back then. Doesn’t matter how many times I told him that it’s okay or tried to distract him. It only works for a few minutes and then he’s back in his head. You know how he can get.” 

Caroline sighed. “You pushed your luck by going back to campus. But he needs to let it go.” She narrowed her eyes at Tom. “And don’t you dare start singing.” 

He held his hands up in defense. “I’d never!” 

Elliot laughed. “Who’s supposed to believe that? A couple of weeks ago, you went into full Lumière mode when I said ‘be my guest’ after you asked if you could change the music when you were over.” 

Sabrina snorted at the mental image. “Please tell me there’s a video of that.” 

He grabbed his phone and handed it to Sabrina after a few taps on the display. “Of course there is, do you think I’m an amateur?” 

She laughed out loud when she saw Tom dancing around their living room, his arms in the pose of the candelabra. 

“What’s going on?” Nick asked when he came back and saw his fiancée wiping her eyes. He slid into his seat next to her again and she leaned into his side for support when he wrapped his arm around her. 

Sabrina held the phone so he could see as well, her hands shaking from her laughter when suddenly Caroline appeared, chasing a still singing Tom around the room, trying to hit him with a pillow. 

He laughed and shook his head. “How drunk were you?” 

“I was completely sober, or do you think I would have been able execute those flawless pirouettes otherwise?” Tom asked, pointing at the screen. 

“I don’t know about flawless,” Elliot threw in. “You tripped over your own feet and bumped into the couch and that was the end.” 

Once the video was over, Sabrina handed the phone back, resting her head against Nick’s shoulder as she pressed her hand against her stomach. “I’m going to feel that tomorrow. I don’t know when the last time was I laughed this hard.” 

Nick pressed a kiss into her hair. “Probably New Year’s Eve when Melvin officially killed and then buried ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ by swinging his sweater vest over his head at 2 AM.” 

Caroline snorted. “I had forgotten about that. Holy shit, that was something else.” 

He laughed at the memory. “I think his hangover lasted two days. At least that’s what we heard from Prudence after Dorcas complained to her that we apparently broke her boyfriend.” 

“Ambrose was pretty ruthless with the tequila shots,” Sabrina admitted. She had needed to fight off Nick’s grabby hands again later into the night and at one point had just given up and accepted that they were shamelessly cuddling in front of all of their friends. 

“I really should have been there,” Tom said. Instead, he had been stuck with his family because his older brother had decided that New Year’s Eve was a great day to get married so he wouldn’t forget his wedding anniversary. 

“How about we do that again this year? Make it a tradition?” Sabrina suggested, looking up at Nick. 

“Sounds good to me,” he answered. They obviously had the space and making a tradition out of hosting a new year’s party for their friends sounded nice, an unspoken sense of belonging woven into the concept. 

A waitress approached their table with their drinks. Once everyone had a glass to hold onto again, Tom spoke. “Count me in. What I’ve heard of that party sounds great. Drunken board games and karaoke, I’m definitely there.” 

“We’ll obviously be there, too,” Caroline agreed. 

Sabrina smiled. “Then that’s settled. New year’s party in Greendale. But let’s get you two married first,” she said, pointing at the soon-to-be married couple. 

“A part of me wants that to be over already. Our mothers are driving me insane,” the bride complained. “This guy here on the other hand?” She pointed her thumb at Elliot next to her. “All he gets are pats on the back from our dads. I hate it. It’s bullshit.” 

“And every time I try to help with something, they send me away. It’s ridiculous,” he added. 

“I mean, this isn’t the 1950s, let the man help with planning his own wedding!” Caroline grabbed her drink and took a big sip to wash down her frustration. 

“Okay, that sounds terrible,” Sabrina agreed, fully understanding why Caroline was unhappy about that. 

“I keep telling you, it’s not too late to elope yet,” Tom threw in, earning himself an unamused stare. 

“Are you going to be the one who tells our mothers? Because, well, your funeral.” 

“Nah, I’m hoping you would take all of us with you. We could also get these two hitched. Two birds, one stone,” he suggested, pointing at Sabrina and Nick. 

Sabrina only snorted at the idea and leaned her head against Nick’s shoulder. 

“Believe me that you do not want to suggest that in Zelda Spellman’s company. Ambrose joked about it once a few weeks ago and I think he still locks his bedroom door at night, just to be on the safe side,” he explained. 

“Besides, what about you? You’d want to be the fifth wheel with two married couples?” Sabrina asked, an eyebrow raised. She knew that he had dated here and there after they had broken up, but nothing long-term had come from that so far. 

Tom grinned. “Oh of course not. But I like to think that Caroline’s sisters would tag along and I could snatch up one of the bridesmaids. Which is also my plan for Saturday, by the way.” 

Everyone except Caroline laughed at the bold statement – she glared at him. “Considering that my sisters, two of my cousins and Sabrina are my bridesmaids, I really hope you keep your hands to yourself. And by that, I mean keep them to yourself or you will lose them.” 

“I’d appreciate that, too,” Nick said with a grin, kissing Sabrina’s cheek when she rolled her eyes. 

Tom shook his head. “Don’t worry, Sabrina is safe. Can’t say the same for Caroline’s relatives, though. I mean, if one of them can’t resist the Torrance charm, who am I to make her unhappy?” 

“Why does it have to be my sister or cousin? Why not one of Elliot’s relatives?” 

“Hey!” Elliot looked almost offended. 

Sabrina gave Nick a little shove. “Dance with me, Scratch. I don’t want to witness a murder,” she said, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing since that wouldn’t help things at all. 

“Good idea. Maybe we should also tell the staff not to compromise the murder scene until the cops get here,” he answered, grabbing her hand as they got out of the booth. 

Caroline directed her glare at them. “Funny, really. You’re a regular comedy duo.” 

“We try our best,” the blonde answered. “Besides, speaking from experience – he’s sweet, funny, loyal. They could definitely do a lot worse than Tom.” She messed up his hair as she stood next to him with a grin. 

“Hey!” He exclaimed, trying to swat her hand away. “But thanks for the endorsement. See? It wouldn’t be so bad,” Tom directed at Caroline. “Not to mention that I’m a beast between the sheets,” he added, waggling his eyebrows exaggeratedly. 

“Tom!” Caroline threw her coaster at him. 

“She just didn’t want to say anything in front of her fiancé because awkward. Right, princess?” He looked at her with an innocent smile. 

“What about it, Spellman?” Nick asked, jumping right in as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

“I’m not going to say even one word about that, and we are going to the dancefloor,” she answered, quickly vacating the scene, dragging Nick with her. When he pulled her into his arms, she saw Caroline smacking Tom’s shoulder. 

They were swaying to the music for a few moments, neither of them saying anything, before Nick broke the silence between them. “So … now that we’re alone … any comment on that?” His hand drifted over her back, slowly inching lower. 

“Still no comment,” Sabrina answered, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck as her eyebrow arched at the course his hand was taking. 

“Are you trying to spare my feelings? Should I be worried?” His hand had reached the small of her back and he pulled her flush against him, a smirk on his lips at her little surprised gasp. 

“Nice try,” she countered, unable to ignore that she sounded a little breathless. The way she was pressed up against him didn’t really help to keep a clear head. What did help was that the song ended just as his hand had reached her butt. Sabrina put her hands on his chest and pushed him away a few inches, the smirk on his lips infuriating and sexy at the same time. 

The band picked up the next song, a little faster Latin jazz number and Nick grabbed her hands, twirling her out and into his arms again, her back against his front. “We both know you’re going to tell me sooner or later,” he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. 

Sabrina hated the fact that she shivered against him. She wanted more and less space between them at the same time and she knew that had been his intention. Another turn and she saw the smug look on his face again. “Why is that even a competition?” 

“Is it one?” Nick asked, an eyebrow raised. When Sabrina pursed her lips, he dipped her and pulled her back up against him, one hand on the small of her back, the other between her shoulder blades, holding her close. He saw her resistance melting as he did his best not to show her that he was just as affected by their proximity as she was. He brushed his lips against hers in what he meant to be a short kiss, but she kissed him back, one of her hands buried in his hair. 

“Does that answer your question?” she mumbled, her lips still brushing his as she spoke. 

“I think I have a hunch,” he started, brushing another kiss over the corner of her mouth. Just as he saw her eyes close, he grabbed her hands again, twirling her out of his arms and back in. “But hearing you say it would really help.” 

Her hand had landed on his chest to stop herself from stumbling into him and was now drifting over his shoulder to the back of his neck. “Alright,” Sabrina agreed, delighting in the way she felt him shiver under her touch when she dragged her fingertips over his skin. She pulled herself closer as they were grinding to the beat. “You set the bar way too high in high school in general and especially on prom night. The way you touch me makes me feel things nobody else could ever make me feel, Nick,” she whispered in his ear, brushing her lips over his cheek when she leaned back a little again. She couldn’t help the smug smile on her lips when she saw his stunned expression. “Happy?” 

It took Nick a moment to respond. He hadn’t expected her to actually go that far with her answer – not that he was complaining. To say that her words didn’t affect him would have been a lie. He had half a mind to take her back to their hotel room to prove her point. “Very happy,” he answered instead, kissing her again. Once the song ended, they agreed to go back to the others and if his arm was wrapped a little tighter around her, holding her a little closer, well, she didn’t complain about it. 

“You two need to go back to your hotel room,” Caroline stated the second they were in earshot. 

“You know what they say. Good things come to those who wait,” Nick said with a smug little smile and slid into the booth once Sabrina had reclaimed her seat, his arm immediately going around her waist to pull her into his side again, the need to feel her close overwhelming. The advice had been way too tempting, too. 

“And we’re not going to leave you behind on your last night of peace and quiet before the wedding,” Sabrina added. Even if the way Nick squeezed her hip made her wish that time would pass just a little bit faster. 

**********

Sabrina slumped down on the bed of their hotel room even before Nick had fully closed the door, fiddling with the straps of her heels. She had been on those damn things all day and while her feet had hurt at first, she had now reached the point beyond that and simply didn’t feel them anymore at all. 

“Remind me to make Caroline wear similar death traps at our wedding,” she grumbled, still fumbling with the clasp. 

“I’ll remind you,” Nick answered, chuckling when she huffed in frustration. He draped the jacket of his suit over the back of the chair that accompanied the small table next to the bed and knelt down in front of her. “Give me your foot.” When she did as he asked, he carefully opened the thin strap and placed the shoe aside, brushing a soft kiss against her ankle before repeating the whole process with her other foot. 

Sabrina sighed when her feet met the ground and she could dig her toes into the soft carpet of the hotel room. “Thank you,” she said with a small smile and used the loose bow tie around his neck to pull him in for a quick kiss. 

“That’s what fiancés are for,” he mumbled against her lips and felt her smile grow. 

“Among other things,” she agreed. 

He put his hands on the bed next to her and leaned in, stealing another kiss from her. “Like what?” 

“Kissing, obviously, for one,” Sabrina pointed out, following up her words with a short peck. 

Nick grinned and leaned in further, trying to get her to lean back. “What else?” 

She laughed and put her hand on his chest, pushing back a little. “Slow down, Casanova, let me get out of this dress first.” 

“I can help with that,” he offered, looking her up and down again with an almost predatory smirk on his face. He had been right in his choice months ago when he had voted for the red halter dress. She looked stunning in it and he had struggled all day to keep the way he touched her appropriate. Nick got up and pulled Sabrina up with him, making her stumble into his arms and pulling her close as he caught her. 

“Real smooth,” she said, rolling her eyes with a fond smile at this goofy man she loved so very much. “You can help me letting my hair down, first. Literally.” She reached into her hair and pulled out one of the pins that held her short curls up in an elegant updo. 

“Alright, turn around,” Nick said, brushing his lips over the nape of her neck once she had her back turned to him, smiling when she shivered at the touch. He couldn’t help it – it always filled him with a sense of pride when he managed to pull that sort of reaction from her. Another quick kiss to her bare shoulder followed before he started picking the pins out of her hair, easy enough to spot since they were adorned with little flowers the same color as the dress, standing out beautifully against her platinum hair. He dropped the pins on the table before pulling Sabrina against him, burying his face in the curls that fell freely again. “So much better,” he mumbled. 

She leaned back against him, enjoying the feeling of his hard chest against her back. “It is,” she agreed. 

Nick nuzzled her neck again, making her hum in appreciation. “Promise me something?” 

“What?” 

“Don’t wear your hair up at our wedding? I like this a lot more.” He brushed a kiss over the sensitive skin below her ear for emphasis. 

“I can do that,” Sabrina agreed. He could probably get her to agree to anything if he kept going like that. She turned her head and pulled him in for a kiss, short but full of unspoken promises. The intensity of his gaze when she broke away made her shiver. “You said you could help me with my dress,” she reminded him quietly. 

“Absolutely,” Nick said, nodding a little, but his eyes never left hers. 

“Good.” She took a deep breath to calm herself. It was unfair, really, the things he could make her feel with just a gaze. Sabrina stepped out of his arms, just enough so he could get to work, and looked at him over her shoulder. “Unzip me?” She brushed her hair aside so he could take care of the clasp securing the dress at the back of her neck. 

He froze for a moment as the question took him back a few years. Sabrina had asked him to do that before, wearing a beautiful red dress, looking at him over her shoulder like she did now. That night was forever seared into his memory, every detail still as present as it had been the next morning. How they had both fumbled – her out of inexperience, him because of his nerves at the fact that it was actually happening – and laughed about themselves, kissing away any awkwardness before it could even really develop. How amazing it had felt to be with her, to show her how he felt even if he hadn’t been able to say it back then. 

“Nick?” 

Her question brought him back to the present and he saw that her brow was slightly furrowed as she tried to figure out what was going on. “Sorry, Spellman. Trip down memory lane,” he said with a small smile before reaching for the clasp at the base of her neck. Once it was opened, Nick nudged away the fabric and kissed the spot where the clasp had sat. 

“Care to share?” Sabrina asked, sucking in a breath when his lips trailed her spine with small kisses until he reached the zipper of her dress. She could feel him smile against her skin. 

“I was thinking about prom night. When this gorgeous blonde in an amazing red dress asked me to unzip her,” he answered, slowly pulling down the zipper at the same time, his fingertips ghosting over the newly revealed skin. “Any chance tonight is going to play out like that?” 

She paused for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.” 

“No?” Nick raised his eyebrows at that. Had he read the signs wrong? 

“No,” Sabrina repeated. She turned around and saw the confusion all too clearly on his face as he straightened his posture. “Because …" she started, still holding her dress up with one hand while she snatched his bow tie with the other, dropping it on the table next to her hairpins. “... you don’t need to show me the ropes anymore, babe.” Her dress dropped to the floor as her hands went to the buttons of his shirt, making quick work of them. 

She already had his shirt unbuttoned halfway by the time his brain caught up with her words. “Little minx,” Nick said quietly with a chuckle, letting her work. Once she was done and had pulled his shirt from his pants, he quickly dropped it to the floor and pulled his undershirt over his head, adding it to the growing pile of clothes. “Come here,” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her to bring her flush against him as he kissed her again, her hands traveling over his hard chest as they started moving towards the bed. Nick bumped into it and fell backwards, taking Sabrina with him, both of them laughing when they hit the mattress. 

“Well, that kind of killed the mood.” Sabrina was still giggling as she brushed a hand through his hair. She squealed when Nick flipped them over, a smirk on his lips as he hovered over her. 

“We’ll get there again, Spellman, don’t worry about that.” He leaned down and kissed her hard to prove his point. 

Later, Sabrina lay on his chest, a small content smile on her face as Nick’s fingertips drifted over her back. On a whim, she had grabbed his shirt and put it on, grinning at the look on his face as his eyes roamed her body. She had quickly joined him under the covers again, nestling close in his embrace and just enjoying the happy bubble they were in, pressing a kiss over his heart once in a while. 

“Babe?” he asked after a while, his voice slightly raspy. 

“Hm?” She brushed another kiss over his skin before putting her hand on his chest and resting her chin on top of it. 

“We haven’t really talked about our wedding yet, but after today … do you want something like that?” It had been a great party, but there were also way too many people for his liking. 

Sabrina looked at him for a moment before slightly shaking her head. “Not really. I mean, it was great and perfect for them, but … no. I don’t want something that big. Do you?” She had a feeling that she already knew the answer, but she still wanted to ask. 

“No, I don’t,” he answered, unable to keep the smile from slowly creeping over his face at the look she gave him. 

“What kind of wedding do you want?” With her free hand, she brushed some of his messed-up hair out of his face, knowing fully well that the wild way his curls pointed in every direction was very much her handywork. 

“What kind of wedding do _you_ want?” Nick echoed, grinning when she rolled her eyes. 

Sabrina tugged lovingly at his curls, feeling a little smug when he arched an eyebrow in surprise. “We’re not doing that, Nick. It’s _our_ wedding, so we’re planning that together. You’re not going to end up on the sidelines like Elliot because someone else took over.” 

“And when are you going to tell Zelda that?” he asked, the grin returning to his face. The older of her aunts had been very vocal about her ideas for what their wedding should look like. 

She stretched and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. “Hey, if Aunt Zee wants to help us, that’s great. But it’s our wedding so it’s going to be what we want. And if she can’t accept that …” She shrugged, an innocent smile on her face, “then we can always elope.” 

Nick laughed and pulled her closer, his arm around her waist tightening. “We probably shouldn’t do that or one of us will end up as a widow or widower the second we return to Greendale.” 

“She wouldn’t kill us. Hurt and maim … possibly. But not kill. We’re supposed to keep the family line going, after all,” Sabrina said, laughing at the look on his face. “But back to the topic. What kind of wedding do you want?” 

He sighed. “Sabrina … I’ll go with whatever you want. I’m okay with whatever you decide, the only thing that matters is that I get to marry you.” 

She shook her head with a smile. “That’s really sweet, Nick, but I told you, that’s not how we’re doing this. You get a say.” 

“You’re not going to let this rest, are you?” When she shook her head, his hand wandered to the small of her back, bunching up the fabric of his shirt that hung loosely on her. “Fine. I think I’d like a small wedding to be honest. Just family and our closest friends.” 

A smile spread over her face. “That sounds perfect.” Sabrina rolled her eyes when he arched an eyebrow. “Don’t look at me like that, I already said that I don’t want a wedding like Caroline and Elliot had. I mean, it was great and the party was amazing, but … there were just so many people. I don’t think they managed to even talk to everyone and I don’t want that. And Caroline had to invite a cousin of her mom’s that she hates and I want that even less. I don’t want anyone we don’t like at our wedding. Imagine feeling obligated to invite your uncle.” She grimaced at the thought, scrunching up her nose in disgust. “No way. So yeah, a small wedding with just our family – minus your uncle – and our closest friends … that sounds perfect,” she repeated, her words followed by a soft kiss. 

“I love you,” he mumbled into the kiss and felt her smile against his lips. Sure enough, the smile was right there when they broke apart. “But you are right, I don’t want my uncle anywhere near our wedding. Maybe we shouldn’t even make the date public knowledge.” 

Sabrina laughed. “Why, do you think he’s going to show up otherwise?” 

“Who knows? A last-ditch effort to make me see the light about you,” Nick answered, laughing as well. 

“Let him try and we’ll see how many pieces Aunt Zee is going to rip him into,” she said, still giggling. “You know, being officially related to that man is the only downside to marrying you.” 

“Sorry about that.” He kissed her again. 

“It’s not like you asked for that. And I love you, so I’ll shoulder that burden. The things I do for you, Scratch.” An overly exaggerated sigh chased her words. “But on the other hand, you get a whole lot of crazy, too, with my aunts and Ambrose.” 

“The things I do for you, Spellman.” He grinned as he poked her side, making her squirm against him. “But back to more serious things. Do you think your aunts would be okay with having the party at least in the backyard of the mortuary?” 

“You want to get married there?” She was slightly taken aback by the suggestion, had thought that he’d maybe suggest their own backyard instead. 

“It’s just an idea, but think about it for a second. So many things happened in that house. Our first real kiss under that mistletoe. We became a couple there. And a few more things happened there that you probably don’t want to bring up at our wedding.” He smirked when she rolled her eyes. “But other than that, it was our home. You were right when you said that it was my home, too. It really was, always felt more like the place where I belonged than my uncle’s house. I think it would be nice to have our wedding there.” 

Sabrina said nothing for a moment, just looked at him and he thought her eyes looked slightly glassy. He couldn’t be sure, though, because she closed them and kissed him, her hand that had been in his hair now on his cheek. 

“It’s a little unfair, you know?” she asked after breaking away. 

“What is?” 

“You always know what to say to make me fall in love with you all over again.” Sabrina pecked his lips again with a soft smile on her lips. “But I think the aunts would be more than okay with us getting married there.” Her smiled widened a little as an idea crossed her mind. “Maybe we could ask aunt Hilda to officiate?” 

Nick smiled. “Of course, but do you think she’ll make it through without crying?” 

“Oh, she’s definitely going to cry,” she answered, making him chuckle. “But you already snatched up Ambrose as your best man and you heard aunt Zee, she’s going to walk me down the aisle. It just feels right to ask her, include her as well if she’s up for that.” 

“It does feel right. We’ll ask her,” he agreed. When Sabrina shifted against him, the topmost button of his shirt that she had bothered to close popped open and he couldn’t help but enjoy the view. “Okay, babe, we’ll have to shelf the wedding talk for now,” he informed her. 

“Oh? And why is that?” She laughed when she saw realized what the was looking at. “Seriously?” 

“You need to get out of this shirt again, Spellman,” Nick said. 

Sabrina smirked and sat up, straddling his waist. His hands dropped to her hips as he looked up at her, adoration and hunger clear in his gaze. “Well, if you insist.” 

She started undoing the buttons, way too slowly for his taste. He sat up when she was done, looking way too tempting in the open shirt still covering her. “Oh, I definitely insist.” Nick wrapped one arm around her waist while supporting himself with the other as he kissed her, muffling her laughter at his eagerness with his lips. 


End file.
